That's Life
by youngstoryteller.007
Summary: Bechloe AU. Chloe Beale is the new girl at Hartford High School, home of the Hawks. There she meets the charming football captain, Chicago. And his best friend Beca. But after a rocky start, Beca and Chloe don't seem to have the easiest time getting along. Even worse? They're next door neighbors. Will these two ever find some common ground. Or possible something more?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The First Day of Senior Year

The alarm clock in a teenage girl's room went off around 6:30 in the morning, making a rather obnoxious beeping sound in order to wake the girl in the bed next to it. The teenager, whose name was Chloe Anne Beale, sat up and turned it off. She slowly got out of bed while rubbing her eyes and stretching to wake up her muscles.

It was the first day of her senior year of high school, and Chloe was anything but excited. You see, Chloe was finishing out her high school career at a new high school. Her father's job as a Pharmaceutical Sales Rep moved them nearly from Portland to Seattle, Washington. It wasn't that far of a move, but Chloe wasn't happy to be separated from her friends and family down there, especially her boyfriend of two years named Tom Sanders. It was easy to say Chloe was not excited to be there, not in the slightest.

Nevertheless, the redhead picked out a cute outfit for the first day of school. She wore a cute blue dress with small white polka dots on it and some two inch wedges. Her hair lay in its natural waves and she did her makeup lightly.

After breakfast, her father stopped her and said, "Have fun on your first day, and try to make new friends."

The redhead nodded reluctantly and then grabbed the keys to her car, which was a 2004 blue Volkswagen Jetta Wagon. She drove the ten minutes it took to get to Kentridge High School and parked in the spot she had been assigned when she came earlier that week to register. As she walked by, she instantly got whistles from a group of boys.

"Damn, check out the new girl." One of them said.

"Hey Chicago, check her out." Chloe noticed a tall boy her age with brown hair and blue eyes look her way. He was definitely attractive but Chloe had a serious boyfriend, so she wasn't interested.

So she continued to walk on by as a girl in a green Subaru Outback pulled in front of Chloe while she was walking towards the school.

The girl in the Subaru saw Chloe at the last second and slammed on the breaks, hitting the horn as well. The window of the car rolled down, revealing a brunette sitting in the driver's seat "Hey! Watch where you're going! You could get yourself killed!" She called out.

Chicago watched Chloe scurry out of the way of the car, smiling at her cute little walk. He then walked up to the Subaru once it was parked, smirking when he saw his best friend get out of the car. "Nice driving there, Nascar." He chuckled before glancing Chloe's way.

"I hope that wasn't a sarcastic remark directed towards me. If I hadn't slammed on the breaks, that girl would've gotten hit. She clearly wasn't looking where she was going," the brunette replied, watching the redheaded girl walk away and rolling her eyes.

"I think that's the new girl we're supposed to be getting," Chicago mentioned, helping Beca by holding her stuff while the girl locked up her car. "My dad said she's a transferred senior from Portland, Oregon." He said, smiling as Chloe opened the door and walked into the school. Chicago was senior class president, captain of the football team and major heartthrob of their high school, so it seemed only natural that he gave the tour to new students so the school seemed cooler to incoming students.

"As if this school needs more clueless people," Beca muttered under her breath. Once she locked her car, the brunette put her keys into her back pocket and took her stuff from Chicago. "Man, I can't believe it. Our last first day of high school," she said, chuckling and shaking her head. "Time really does fly by, doesn't it?"

"It really does, doesn't it?" Chicago said, putting his arm around his best friend. "This year, you and I are going to rule the school." He said, slinging his backpack over his shoulder as they walked inside. "How's getting your dad on board with the whole LA situation?" He asked as they made their way to their lockers.

Beca scoffed a laugh. "He's not on-board. Nowhere near being on-board. As a matter of fact, he's in the ocean and trying to pull me off the boat so I fall down into the water with him," she said in an annoyed voice. "I just don't understand what his problem is. He'd rather have me go to college and be unhappy than pursue my dreams."

"He's just looking out for you," Chicago said, holding the door open for Beca. "But, with that said I don't think he understands that once you set your mind on something, there's no stopping you." He mentioned, opening his locker and grabbing books that he got for his schedule.

"Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be you," Beca said, opening her locker and arranging her books. "I mean that in the sense of I want to know what it's like to not have to worry about this kind of stuff. You've been getting recruited by Division I football programs since last year. You're basically guaranteed to get a scholarship somewhere at this point," she added.

"Well in the sense of following my dreams, no one has really told me to do anything besides chase them." Chicago said, putting his books in his backpack before zipping it up. He then turned to Beca, patting her shoulder. "You're going to convince him, Beca." He mentioned. "If there is anything I've been taught over the last three years, it's that Beca Mitchell could convince a cat to go into the water."

Beca couldn't help but laugh at those words. "I'm not sure I could do that, but I appreciate the confidence. I just don't know how I'm going to do it. Moving to LA is going to be super expensive, and there's no way I'll be able to cover the cost on my own. I'm going to have to rely on my dad to help pay for some of that, but he's so set on me going to college that if I even bring it up, he'll immediately shoot it down," the brunette said with a sigh.

"You'll figure something out," Chicago said. He then looked at the time on his phone. "I gotta go to the office to give the new girl a tour, see you in AP English." He said, patting her shoulder before walking past Beca towards the office.

Once he got there, he said hello to all the ladies who worked in the front office before waiting for the new girl to show up. He had gotten a good look at the girl, and she was absolutely gorgeous. Medium length red hair, piercing blue eyes. And Chicago just imagined that she had an incredible smile.

A few minutes later, the redhead appeared in the doorway, peeking into the room. "Um, excuse me, is this the front office?" She asked. "I've read this map three times and I still can't tell where anything is."

Chicago blinked twice, damn this girl was beautiful. "Ah yes this is the office." He said walking up to the girl and reaching his hand out for her to shake. "I'm Chicago Walp, I'll be giving you your tour." He said smiling softly. "What's your name?" He asked once their hands let go of each other.

"Chloe. Chloe Beale," the redhead replied, smiling back at Chicago. He was much more welcoming than the girl she had encountered earlier in the parking lot. "I'm sorry if I'm a little disoriented, it's just my first day here and I'll admit that I'm a little nervous."

"No worries, it's it a new place and you're just finding your way." Chicago said smiling at the girl. "You can leave your stuff here in the office while I give you a tour." He said, offering to take her jacket and hang it up. "It's a big high school and there are a lot of things to see, so the tour may take a little while."

"That's alright. Take as much time as you need. I'm sure that I'll still end up getting lost at least five times today," Chloe said with a giggle, putting her stuff down in one of the chairs and then turning back to Chicago.

"Alright then, let's get started." Chicago held the door for Chloe and they began the tour. He started with the English and Humanities wing before heading over to Math and Science, which was so big it was its own building. He explained all the different events and clubs they had at the school.

"And here is the performing arts and music wing." He said, noticing the girl seemed to take a lot of interest in this part of the school.

"Is the performing arts program at this school very big?" Chloe asked Chicago as they stopped outside the doors of the school's theater.

"Our performing arts program here is one of the best in the country." Chicago said smiling at Chloe. "We have one of the top musicians in the country teaching at this school, and she'll help you get into whatever music school you want." He stated, looking into one of the music classes. "I take it you're into music, do you play any instruments?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, I can play the piano. I also took some violin lessons when I was younger, but piano is the instrument that's really stuck with me," she answered. "And what about you? What do you do here?" The redhead asked curiously.

"I think you'll figure it out once we get to the fitness education wing." Chicago said, cringing at the thought of what Chloe was about to see. "Anyways, do you want to go to school for music?"

"Yeah, that's the goal. I mean, everything could change over the course of this year, but music is my passion and it's definitely something I want to pursue in the future," Chloe said with a smile.

"Well, you definitely should. I'll come and listen to you play sometime." Chicago said before they walked down the fitness education wing. There, plastered on the wall, was a huge poster of the captains on the football team with Chicago standing the middle with a football in his hand. Underneath the poster, large white text read: "2017 Washington 4A Division State Champions."

"Ah, I see. You're the 'Mr. Football' of this school, huh?" Chloe teased. "But in all seriousness, that's actually pretty cool. It must feel awesome to be the captain of the football team."

"It is," Chicago stated with a chuckle. "Until they stick a huge poster to wall, that is. Now everyone can look at this and think 'damn, what a jackass.'" He said, making Chloe laugh. "I do love playing football though, I play tight end and wide receiver."

"Really? That's so cool! My boyfriend plays quarterback for the football team back at my old school in Portland," Chloe said to Chicago as they continued walking down the hallway of the fitness education wing.

 _Of course the beautiful girl has a boyfriend_ , Chicago though to himself. "That's cool, he must be really handsome if he can land a girl like you." He said smiling at her before leading her into the gymnasium. "I also play basketball, but my friend Beca is the captain of the women's team. She's a total badass. Both of our basketball teams are former state champions as well."

"Wow, it seems like this school is really big on winning. That must put a lot of pressure on you guys. Back at my old school in Portland, our best team was the golf team. Really shows you how amazing we were at all the other sports," Chloe said sarcastically, laughing afterwards.

"Hey, golf can be entertaining." Chicago said with a chuckle. "They also are probably the best dressed sports team in any school." He pointed out before laughing along with Chloe some more. "Do you do anything besides play piano? Cheerleading? Soccer?" He asked. "Golf?" He added, getting another laugh.

Chloe shook her head. "I did cross country and cheerleading during my freshman year of high school, but I didn't try out after that year. I've been really focusing on piano and performing arts, since that's what I want to do with my life."

"It's nice that you know what you want to do with your life, not many people do." Chicago said before they started to walk back towards the office.

"Yeah, well it's been my dream for as long as I can remember. I'm going to keep chasing it, no matter how many bumps are in the road," Chloe said as they walked side-by-side. "Do you know what you want to do with your life? I mean, I assume that football is going to be part of the big picture, but is there anything else?" She asked.

"Well, I'm being recruited by a few Division I schools, like UCLA and Nebraska to name a few." Chicago mentioned, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know, I've never really stopped to think about it. It's always been about football and getting good grades for me." He stated as he put his hand in his pockets. "I don't even have a girlfriend, that's how focused I am on school and football." He said looking down to hide his blush.

Chloe burst out into laughter at that. "You're lying," she said, looking over at Chicago. She gasped and hit his arm playfully when she realized he was being serious. "You don't have a girlfriend? How? You're the captain of the football team, and probably the valedictorian!"

"Oh, I'm not valedictorian. But thank you for the compliment," Chicago stated. "No, that would be Cynthia Rose, she's probably got the potential to become our future president." He said truthfully. "Plus, I just haven't found the right girl I guess. I mean, I've had a girlfriend before, but she moved to Ohio and we broke up before she left." He shrugged. "But, contrary to your belief, I don't have a girlfriend."

Chloe just shook her head. "I don't understand how that's possible. You're literally the perfect guy. I'd expect girls to be falling for you left and right," the redhead said with a laugh.

"I'm not perfect, but once again, thank you." Chicago said once they reached the front office. He held the door for Chloe again.

Chloe smiled and thanked Chicago as she walked inside the office, going over and grabbing her stuff off of the chair she had left it in. "Thanks for giving me a tour of the school. I really appreciate it."

"Anytime," Chicago said smiling at her. "If you need anything, just give me a hollar alright? It looks like we have Calculus and AP English together, so I'll save you a seat." He said before grabbing his stuff. Welcome to Hartford High School, Chloe Beale." He said with a warm smile before walking out of the door.

The first three classes of the day flew by quickly, as there wasn't much being done since it was the first day of school. When the bell signaling that third period was ending, Beca stood up from her seat in Physics and grabbed her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder and heading out of the classroom. She had AP English with Chicago next period, so she made a beeline for her locker since they didn't have much time to switch classes and she was on the other side of the school.

Chloe made her way through the crowded halls, and made it to her AP English class. Some of the guys whistled at her when she walked in, but Chicago shooed them off. "Hey, this seats open if you want it." He said sweetly to the redhead as she sat down next to him.

"Thanks," Chloe said smiling as she sat on his left in the third row.

Beca walked into the classroom a few moments later, seeing Chicago and walking towards him. The brunette noticed that the redheaded girl from earlier was sitting to his left, but she figured that was only because she didn't know anyone else in the class. "Hey," Beca said, sitting down in the seat on Chicago's right.

"What's up buddy?" Chicago said, giving his best friend a high five. He then looked at Chloe and then back at Beca. "Beca, this is Chloe Beale. She's our new student here."

Beca looked over at the redhead and gave her a little nod, then looked back to Chicago. "So, how were your first three classes of the day?" She asked, opening her backpack and taking out her textbook.

"They were alright," Chloe answered shyly. "Uh, I'm still getting used to being in a new place. This school is a lot bigger than my old one."

"Yeah, this place is pretty big. In my freshman year, it took a couple of months for me to fully figure out where everything was," Beca said. Chloe was about to say something else, but then the bell rang and the students began talking quieter than they had before while they waited for class to begin.

"Welcome to senior year everyone, these last few years have really flown by." Mr. Walp said. "Son, it's nice to finally have you in my class." He said, smiling at his son. "For those of you who don't know me yet, my name is Leonard Walp, but I prefer that you call me Leo or Walp." He said, smiling at his students. "We're going to have a really fun year this year. But first, we have a new student. Chloe Beale? Would you like to stand up and introduce yourself?"

Chloe looked around the room before standing up and clearing her throat. "Uh, hi. I'm Chloe Beale. I moved from Portland, Oregon which is where I've lived my whole life until now. And I'm looking forward to this year," she finished, smiling at Mr. Walp and Chicago before sitting back down in her seat.

Beca rolled her eyes as the girl spoke. Everyone was just going to learn her name anyways so there was no need to do it now. She watched the redhead throughout class, scrunching her eyebrows at her. Sure, she was pretty. But she was probably like every other pretty girl at the school, self-centered with a huge ego.

When Beca wasn't watching the redhead, she was scribbling music notes down in her notebook as well as random lyrics. "Hey Chicago?" She whispered as the boys dad went through the syllabi. "What's a good word that rhymes with ghost?" She asked, only to have Chloe cut in.

Chloe looked over and saw that Beca was writing lyrics for some music notes. "Hey, are you writing music?" She whispered over to the brunette.

Beca quickly closed her notebook, shaking her head. "Nope," she lied, looking away from Chloe and back to the syllabus.

Chloe was persistent, however. "You were definitely writing music. I saw the notes and the music. I could help you if you wanted."

"I don't need your-" Beca started before Mr. Walp cut in.

"Beca, do you have something to share with the class?" Leo said.

"No Walp," Beca said. When Mr. Walp moved back to talking to the rest of the class, Beca looked back at Chloe. "I don't need your help, I'm fine on my own."

"And that's why she asked for my help." Chicago said to Chloe with a chuckle.

"Shut up," Beca muttered, kicking Chicago's leg before focusing on her song lyrics.

"Is she always like that?" Chloe whispered, looking from Chicago to Beca and then back to Chicago.

Chicago leaned over to whisper in Chloe's ear. "She's pretty independent, it's nothing personal."

"It is when you walk in front of my car and not pay attention to what's around you. I don't need space cadets helping me with my music when if they can't see an oncoming car." Beca said rolling her eyes as she continued to scribble in her notebook.

"Beca, watch it. It's her first day, give her a break." Chicago said.

"I did, when I hit my breaks this morning to avoid hitting her." Beca stated firmly. "She's hard to miss with that bright red hair."

"I don't understand why you have this vendetta against me because I walked in front of your car this morning. Yeah, I should have been paying attention, but I was just trying to figure out where to go. Maybe you should pay attention where you're driving next time," Chloe replied in a calm voice.

"I don't know what they taught you in Portland, but life isn't like High School Musical, okay? You don't always get what you want. Not everything happens perfectly according to plan. And if you keep believing that everything will work itself out eventually, which I'm sure you do believe, then you're in for a rude awakening when you get into the real world," Beca snapped as the bell rang, grabbing her books and heading to lunch, not even waiting for Chicago.

Chloe sat there and looked down at her desk, not knowing what to say. Chicago stayed back a moment. "I'm sorry about that, Beca doesn't really have a filter." He said, putting his pencils in his bag. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Chloe said, standing up and grabbing her books. She followed Chicago out of the classroom and to the lunch room. "I think I'm going to sit by myself. It's obvious that Beca doesn't want to be near me, and I don't want to make you move from your best friend."

"No one should sit by themselves on the first day." Chicago said, still walking with Chloe. "Besides, Beca goes to the music wing and works on her songs during lunch anyways. I'll sit with you, I know all the great spots to sit at for lunch." He said, stopping and standing in front of her with a friendly smile. "Plus, I know how hard it can be moving to a new place. I moved here freshman year, so I was in your shoes."

Chloe bit down on her lip, still hesitant to accept Chicago's offer. She looked around, seeing if she recognized anyone from her previous classes. "Are you sure? I can go sit with Jessica from AP English if it's too much of a hassle."

"Believe me, sitting with a beautiful girl with red hair and a great smile at lunch is no hassle whatsoever." Chicago said, holding out his arm for her to take. "Come on, I'll even split the chocolate chip cookie my mom packed me for desert with you."

"Okay, I guess I'll let you sit with me. But I'm only doing it for the chocolate chip cookie," Chloe said with a laugh, making Chicago laugh as well. They sat down at one of the tables and began to eat their food together, laughing as they each told funny childhood stories to get to know each other better.

Later that day, Chloe drove to her new home and saw a familiar car sitting in the driveway next her new house. "Oh my god," She muttered to herself, groaning when she saw Beca walk into the house next door. _Great, they were neighbors._

The redhead went up to her room and shut the door once she got inside the house. She then got out her phone and decided to Skype with Tom. A smile instantly appeared on her face when he answered. "Hey, how's my beautiful girl?" He said smiling on her phone screen.

"I'm alright," Chloe said, smiling back at Tom. "My first day of school was today. It wasn't too bad. There's this one girl in my English class who already hates me with a burning passion, but everyone else was nice to me today."

"Well, that's good to hear. Anyone would be insane not to like you." He mentioned, plopping down on his bed. "I miss you," Tom stated, smiling at her. "I wish we could have one of our cuddle sessions right now."

"You and me both. I could really use some of your cuddles right now," Chloe replied, smiling back at her boyfriend. "And I miss you too, in case you didn't know that already," the redhead added with a cute giggle.

"Well, I'm coming up for your homecoming dance and then you'll come down for mine. If you think about it that's only a month or so before we get to see each other again." Tom mentioned with a smile.

"And that month can't go by fast enough. I miss you so much, Tom," Chloe said with a sad tone of voice. "I wish that I could've stayed in Portland with you instead of coming here."

"I know, I wish you could've stayed here too. It feels weird, not being able to see you or kiss you every day." Tom mentioned, running his fingers through his hair sadly.

"Why don't we focus on something happy instead of something sad? Like, I can't wait to see you again and hug you again and kiss you again. I'll be so happy when I finally get to do that," Chloe said with a smile.

"Me too, your kisses are the best things in the world." Tom mentioned with a smile on his face. "That as well as, other things you do." He said blushing a little bit as he said that.

"Tom!" Chloe said, blushing and laughing at the same time. "Get your mind out of the gutter," she scolded, although she was still giggling from his comment.

"Oh come on, I was kidding." He said chuckling at his girlfriends contagious laugh. "I love it when I can make you smile, blush, and laugh all at once."

"That's just one of the many things you're good at," Chloe said, smiling at Tom. She looked at the clock on her bedside table and then back to Tom. "It's almost 4:30. Shouldn't you be at school getting ready for football tryouts?"

"Those aren't till tomorrow, babe." Tom chuckled. "But Coach Greenberg did talk to me today about becoming senior captain."

Chloe smiled widely at what Tom had just told her. "Really? That's so amazing! I'm so proud of you, Tom. You really deserve this."

"I hope I can live up to his expectations. After Mark Finley left last year, he's been looking for someone to take his place." Tom mentioned.

After about an hour of talking, Tom's mother called him down for dinner. "Hey baby, I gotta go. But I will call you right after tryouts tomorrow, how does that sound?" He asked.

"That sounds good. I love you babe, and I know you're going to do great at your tryout tomorrow," Chloe said, blowing him a kiss and smiling.

"Thanks beautiful, I love you too." He said, catching her kiss and then blowing her one before hanging up the phone.

Next door, Beca was sitting at her desk by the window, playing on her keyboard and singing a song she was working on as the backtracks played.

"When You Love Someone" - James TW

"Sometimes moms and dads fall out of love

Sometimes the best intentions just ain't enough

Some things you can't tell your sister cause she's still too young

Yeah you'll understand

When you love someone

When you love someone

When you love someone

When you love someone."

The brunette stopped playing the melody and wrote down the lyrics before setting the pencil down and looking up and out of her window. There, just across from her was her new neighbor. Beca looked closer to see who it was, and her face fell. "You've got to be kidding me."

 **Hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this new fanfic called "That's Life." Let us know what you thought in the comments.**

 **Until Next Time!**


	2. Chapter 2: The First Game

Chapter 2: The First Game

A few days had past since Chloe's first day of school, and it was now Friday. The redhead woke up at the usual time and took a shower, going downstairs to eat breakfast with her mother and father before she left for school. Chloe made herself a bowl of oatmeal and then went to sit down at the table next to her mother.

"Are you excited for school today, Chloe?" Her mother asked. Cindy Beale was a kind woman who had been hired to teach fourth grade at a nearby elementary school. Chloe got her friendly and outgoing personality from her mother, who was always welcoming to people she did know and people she didn't.

"I'm excited that it's Friday," Chloe said, smiling and eating her her oatmeal that had strawberries and blueberries in it.

"Have you thought about joining any clubs? Do any of them look interesting?" Cindy asked, taking a sip of her coffee before sitting down next to Chloe's father, Patrick Beale.

"Well, the school does have a good performing arts program, so I definitely want to get involved in that," Chloe replied, taking a sip from her own cup of coffee. "I'm not sure about any of the other clubs. I might join the book club or something like that."

"What about cheerleading? You always had so much fun with that, do they have tryouts for that anytime soon?" Patrick mentioned, reading the newspaper. "Surely they'll let you tryout since you just got here."

"I think I heard that the tryouts are going to be sometime next week. I'm not sure about cheerleading though. I mean, I did have fun when I was a cheerleader before. I'm just not sure if I should do it this year. I might not make the team even if I do try out," Chloe said.

"Don't worry sweetie, it's your decision." Cindy mentioned. "But if you decide to try out and you make the squad, your father and I will come to every football and basketball game that you cheer at." She said, smiling at her daughter

"Thanks mom." Chloe said, smiling.

Next door, Beca was trying to get her little brother and sister ready for school. "Come on, guys. Mom and Dad are going to kill me if you two don't get to school on time." She said, sitting Hailee down to help him put his shoes on.

Beca was the oldest of two children. Her parents had her and thought she was enough for about twelve years. It was a decision that her parents, Jacob and Cala Mitchell, spent months talking about until they finally decided to have a baby. When they did, it wasn't hard to get pregnant since they had Beca fairly young and they were still in their mid-thirties. Henry and Hailee came along just as Beca turned thirteen, and she'd been their babysitter for the five years they've been alive.

Hailee and Beca had their mother's brown hair, but Hailee had their Aunt Rena's eyes and Beca had her father's eyes. Henry had his father's blue eyes and blonde hair. They really were a beautiful family, and Beca loved her little brother and sister with all of her heart. She was very protective over them and treated them sweetly like an older sister should.

After much struggling, Beca finally got Henry's shoes on, then grabbed his coat. They were about to leave when Beca noticed Henry didn't have his backpack. "Dude, where's your backpack?" Henry just looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. Beca sighed, setting down her stuff and walking to Henry's room, finding his backpack sitting on his bed. "Make sure that you have all your stuff before we walk out the door, okay? You know how mad Mom and Dad will be if we're late."

Henry grabbed his, Hailee's, and Beca's lunch from the kitchen fridge and then waited by the door as Beca walked out to the front door with Henry's backpack. "Mom, Dad we're heading out. See you after school."

She made sure their car seats was secure backseat of her car and then helped him into it, pulling out of the driveway once they both had their seatbelts on. As she pulled out, she noticed Chloe walking out of her house and walking to her car. Beca shook her head and sped off, driving to Henry's and Hailee's school. He had one more year before heading to their mom's school, which was first grade through sixth grade.

Beca parked on the side of the road and helped Henry with his stuff, handing him his lunch and putting on his backpack. "Have fun today, okay?" She said, kneeling down so that she was eye-to-eye with her little brother and sister. "I love you two."

"Love you Beca," Hailee said, hugging Beca tightly. Beca always loved receiving hugs from these two.

"Love you too." Henry said, smiling at his sister and hugging her. After they embraced, he and Hailee turned around and started running towards the main doors of the school. Beca waited to make sure that Henry and Hailee got inside the building before getting back in her car, pulling out of the parking lot and heading down the road towards Hartford High.

She parked in her spot and headed to the library to check out a book. Beca was sort of a bookworm, and she loved to read. So the librarians always told her what books she should read next. Plus, she was an aide for them during first hour so she always just headed up there and made coffee for Gina and Hadley, the two librarians. Once she had that done, she would find whatever book she was going to read next and read it throughout the hour if she had nothing else to do.

She sat there in a lounge chair, reading the newest book in the "I Am Number Four," series. As she read, there was silence that fell over the library once the bell for first hour had rung. She sighed happily and continued to read. The brunette continued to sit there and read her book, occasionally pausing to help the librarians with small tasks. After the hour passed and the bell rang, the brunette gathered up her belongings and headed for her next class, which was in the Music Wing.

When the bell rang, Chicago stood up and walked out of class, smiling when he saw Chloe exiting the classroom across the hall. "Hey! Chloe!" He called out to get the redhead's attention.

Chloe heard the now familiar voice calling her name and she turned to him, smiling and waving at him before walking over. "Hey, long time no see." Chloe said smiling at the charming teenage boy.

"Long time no see," Chicago repeated, smiling as they started walking down the hall together. "So, how has your first week at Hartford High been?" He asked.

"I mean, it's still such a confusing school to navigate, but I'm slowly getting it locked into my brain." She said chuckling. "The first home football game is tonight, how are you feeling?" She asked.

"I will admit that I'm a bit nervous. It's the first game of the season along with the first home game, so we want to do well tonight in front of our home crowd," Chicago replied. "Are you going to come to the game tonight? The games are always fun to watch, and the student section is known to get pretty rowdy."

"I am coming, just so I can get an idea of how good you actually are." Chloe chuckled, nudging him playfully.

"Oh, and Beca's performing a few songs at the halftime show. She's kind of a big deal here at the school with her band." Chicago mentioned.

Chloe raised her eyebrows curiously at Chicago's words. "Really? She plays in a band?"

Chicago nodded. "Yeah, she plays with two other guys named Jesse and Benji. Last year, a guy named Luke was also in the band, but he graduated so now it's just the three of them. They're really good because they all can sing, but Beca is the main singer. Jesse is the drummer, and Benji plays the bass. Beca plays guitar and piano."

"Wow, that's pretty cool actually. No wonder Beca acts the way she does, she has to keep her badass reputation." Chloe said with a chuckle.

"You know, as much of a jackass as Beca can be, you've got to give her some credit for sticking with her dream. Her parents, well her father at least, aren't very supportive of her interest in music, and you've got to give credit to her because she still chases her dreams even though she's constantly told that she won't be able to achieve it," Chicago said.

"It still doesn't explain why she can't stand me." Chloe sighed, kicking at the floor as they walked. "I mean, yeah I should've been paying more attention, but usually people are over it after four days. What have I done to her in four days that makes her hate me so much?"

Chicago shrugged his shoulders. "I honestly don't know. Sometimes Beca just acts weird. I'm sure that she'll be over whatever is bothering her by next week. And if she keeps acting rude to you, I wouldn't take it personally. Sometimes that's just how she is. She doesn't really let a lot of people in, and she tries to push other people away so she doesn't get hurt."

"Then why does she trust you? If she has a hard time letting people in, how come you guys are best friends. Usually people like her just hang out by themselves all day." Chloe said as they got closer to her next class.

Chicago again shrugged his shoulders. "I was just really persistent in being friendly to her. Eventually, she got tired of it and said that she'd give being friends with me a try. The rest is history after that," he said.

"Oh," Chloe said. "So you're saying that I should be nice to her, even though she's kind of being a bitch to me?" She asked with a confused look.

"Yup, my mom always says to 'kill them with kindness,' and I live by that motto everyday." Chicago said once they reached the Science Wing. "It'll be difficult at times with Beca, just don't let her get to you."

"Okay," Chloe replied, uncertainty still in her voice. "Well, if you say that'll work, then I might as well give it a try. It's not like she can hate me much more anyways."

"She doesn't hate you, she's just trying to figure you out." Chicago mentioned, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, you're pretty to have anyone not like you." He said with a small smile, trying to hide his blush. "Sorry, I know you have a boyfriend. It's just, you really are beautiful. Like, really, really beautiful."

Chloe couldn't help but blush at Chicago's compliments. "You don't need to apologize. It's nice to hear things like that," she said, looking down at the floor and smiling to herself. "I appreciate everything you've done for me, Chicago. You've gone out of your way to welcome me this week, and I really appreciate it."

"Really, it's not been out of my way at all. I just want to make sure everyone feels welcome here. And you're a part of this school now, you should treated as one." Chicago said before they stopped in front of her Anatomy and Physiology class. "And tonight, if I make a touchdown catch, I'll point to you in the stands as an official welcome to Hartford. Sound good?"

The smile on Chloe's face grew wider, and she eagerly nodded her head. "Yeah, that sounds great. I'd really like that," she said, smiling at Chicago.

Chicago smiled and nodded at her. "Alright well, I uh," He said, stuttering over his words a little bit. "I'll see you next hour." He said waving before walking away.

"Yeah, see you then," Chloe said, smiling once more at Chicago before she turned away from him to walk into her next class.

At the end of the day, Chloe was walking towards her car when she saw Beca talking to a girl. So she decided to go say hi and tryout what Chicago told her, to just be nice, even when Beca is being crabby.

"So, I'll call you tonight after the football game." Beca said to the girl, smiling flirtatiously as the girl handed Beca's phone back to her. The girl, who had blonde hair and brown eyes nodded shyly and smiled before walking off the other way. Beca smiled herself and then looked up to see Chloe. "Oh uh, hey Red." She said, awkwardly placing her hands in her pockets.

"Hey," Chloe said, looking down at the ground as well. "So, uh, I heard from Chicago that your band is playing during halftime of the football game tonight?"

"Yeah, we are." Beca mentioned, nodding her head. She stood there for a moment, thinking of what to say next. "I suppose that means you're coming to the game tonight. Am I correct in assuming so?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, I figured that I might as well go. Maybe I'll get to meet some more people while I'm there. I do think that it's really cool your band is playing tonight. I've heard that you're a really great singer, as well as a guitar player and keyboard player."

"Well, you'll get to see for yourself tonight." Beca said, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

"So, who was that girl you were talking to?" Chloe asked curiously.

"Just a girl I have a date with tomorrow night." Beca said, putting her phone away.

"Oh, so you're gay?" Chloe asked in surprised tone.

"Yeah, I am." Beca said, trying her best not to roll her eyes. I mean, was it that hard for this girl to see that. Beca mostly wore clothes that weren't something a straight girl would wear. She wore a lot of flannels and black skinny jeans, and a lot of mascara. Plus she had two tattoos on her right forearm. I mean, Chicago was her best friend out of all people. "Is that a problem?"

"No, that's not a problem at all. I'm glad that you feel so comfortable being yourself. There's a lot of people who aren't able to accept themselves, let alone be ready for others to judge them, so it's great that you can do that," Chloe replied in a kind voice.

"Okay," Beca chuckled before grabbing her keys out of her bag. "I really think one thing you should know about me is I don't really give a shit what people think or say. Yes, that was nice and all, but everyone says that. I've heard it a million times from other people, and it doesn't make me like you anymore than I already do." She said, catching Chloe by surprise with her negative tone. "I know Chicago likes you, so I'm going to do my best to tolerate you for him. Don't make it hard for me, okay?" She said before putting on her sunglasses and walking away without another word.

"Okay," Chloe said, sighing as she watched Beca walk away. Chicago wasn't kidding when he said that it would be hard when talking to Beca. The redhead stood there for a few more moments before heading over to her car, getting in the driver's seat and pulling out of the parking lot.

That night Chloe showed up about half an hour before the football game and got a seat in the front row with some of the friends she'd made during her first week at Hartford. Aubrey, a senior who had a rich family that lived just outside of town. Emily, a sophomore who was dating Benji, one of the members of Beca's band. And then there was Stacie, who was only sitting there until the game started since she was one of the head cheerleaders.

As it got closer to the start of the game, the bleachers gradually began to fill up with fans, and the stands were completely full by the time the game was set to start. Cynthia Rose sang the national anthem before the game and the school's marching band performed a few songs before the football players gathered at the tunnel, ready to run onto the field for the first time that season.

One of the cheerleaders came running up to Stacie she was talking with the other three girls. "Stacie, Michelle hurt her foot in the warmup and she can't do the routine." She said with a bit of panic on her face.

"Shit, are you serious? She's supposed to do all the big stunts." Stacie said shaking her head and groaning. "We need to find someone to fill in."

Aubrey turned to Chloe while Stacie was talking with her fellow cheerleader. "Chloe, didn't you cheerlead at your old school?"

"Yeah, I was a cheerleader when I was a freshman. Why do you ask?" Chloe said. A few moments later, the redhead then realized what the blonde was suggesting. "You think that I should fill in for Michelle?"

"Well, they kind need someone to fill in." Aubrey said. "You should do it." She said in an encouraging tone.

"No, no, no. I can't do that, it's been like two years since I did anything related to cheerleading." Chloe answered nervously.

"I don't think they'll have you do anything too hard. They just need someone to go out there and fill in for Michelle. You should do it, Chloe. I don't know if there's anyone else that would be able to do it, much less be willing to do it," Aubrey said, trying to convince her.

"Stacie just said that this Michelle girl was doing flips." Chloe said, her eyes wide with fear. "I-I can't do that." She said, shaking her head.

"Just help them out, you said you were thinking about trying out anyways." Aubrey added, looking back at Stacie before turning to Chloe. "You're going to do this." She then tapped Stacie on the shoulder. "Chloe will do it."

Before Chloe could object, Stacie squealed and clapped her hands. "Oh, that's great! I was afraid that we were going to have to scrap our whole routine and start from scratch. Here, let's go find you a uniform that you can wear," Stacie said, standing up and taking Chloe's hand.

Chloe looked back at Aubrey and shook her head and mouthed "I'm gonna kill you" before turning to go with Stacie and the other girl to get a uniform.

Down on the football field, Chicago and the other football players were doing some stretches to get ready for the game, which was starting in a little under five minutes. He looked up and saw Chloe walking out of the stands towards the cheerleading locker room with two cheerleaders, and he raised his eyebrow curiously at this but focused back on the stretches.

Beca walked over to Chicago when she saw Chloe walking with Stacie. "Hey, do know what's going on with that?"

Chicago shrugged his shoulders. "I don't have a clue. I can't let that distract me, though. The game is going to start any minute now. Speaking of which, you should probably be in the stands, right?"

"We just got done with our sound check, plus I can't kick off the year without wishing you good luck. Lucky number thirteen," Beca said, giving Chicago a short hug.

Chicago smiled and hugged Beca back. "Thanks. I'm honestly kinda nervous about tonight's game. I don't know why, though. Maybe it's just because it's the first game of the season."

"Also your new girlfriend is going to be watching you," Beca said, rolling her eyes sarcastically at Chicago.

"First of all, she's not my girlfriend. And second of all, please at least try to be nice to her. I know that you don't like her, but she's been at this school for only a week, and you constantly being rude to her won't help her feel welcomed," Chicago said.

"This is why you're senior class president and I'm not, I don't really give a shit about making people feel welcome." Beca scoffed as she saw Chloe going into the locker room. She then turned back to Chicago, and sighed. "Look, because you're my best friend, I'll try to be nice to the new girl since you have a mad crush on her." She said smirking.

"Thank you. That's all I'm asking you to do. Just try to be nice to her, and if you can't do that then just try to tolerate her," Chicago said, grabbing his football helmet and putting it on.

"Trust me, I've been tolerating her all week." Beca said chuckling, she then started to walk off to the stands. "Try not to mess up in front of your girlfriend." She yelled back as she walked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Chicago yelled back as he walked over towards his teammates, who were standing on the sidelines and getting ready for the opening kickoff.

Chicago then turned to see Chloe walk out and his jaw dropped. She had her hair up in a high pony, courtesy of Stacie and she was dressed in their red, white, and blue uniform. Chicago had to shake his head and focus before the game started. Even when Beca saw the redhead, she had to admit that the girl looked really hot.

Chloe stood there in the uniform shyly. "How do I look?" She asked Stacie.

"You look hot," Stacie said bluntly, giggling afterwards. "But seriously, Chloe. You're rocking that uniform right now. If the boys weren't falling left and right for you before, they sure will now. Just check out our friend Chicago over there." She said, pointing at Chicago, who was once again gazing at her with a cheeky and adorable look on his face.

Chloe blushed a little bit and waved at Chicago, who waved back as she gazed upon her. "You should totally tap that." Stacie said with a straight face.

"I have a boyfriend Stacie, I told that like twenty minutes ago." Chloe said laughing at her friend.

"Still, that doesn't mean that you can't test the waters a little bit. At least, I've never let a relationship stop me from doing that," Stacie replied with a shrug of the shoulders. "Plus, Chicago is so damn sexy. A straight A student who's captain of the football team. He has eyes like a dream and he's sex on a stick, you could do a lot worse that Chicago Walp, milady."

"I mean, I guess you're right. But like I said, I have a boyfriend that I love very much and who I'm really happy with," Chloe said. "If you're so attracted to Chicago, why don't you go after him?"

"I don't go after guys like Chicago, they're too perfect for me." Stacie said as they started to walk towards the rest of the cheerleading squad. "I did date a guy named Luke who used to be in Beca's band, he was a more scruffy and rough kind of guy. That's more my type." She mentioned. "All I'm saying is, if you ever broke up with your man, and I'm not saying you will; Chicago would probably be the perfect boyfriend for you, he's sweet, he's smart, he's funny." Stacie said. "I mean, look at him."

Stacie point over at the boy, who now getting ready to walk out into the center of the field with the rest of the captains.

Chloe looked out at Chicago and couldn't help but agree with Stacie. "I guess you're right. He is the perfect guy, if you think about it. He's got everything that any girl could possibly want."

"Yeah, I bet probably you have checked him out a couple times. Maybe not as much as he's checked you out, though." Stacie said as she gave Chloe some pom-poms.

"Oh come on, he doesn't like me. He's just being nice." Chloe said innocently.

"Believe me Chloe, I'm very good at telling when someone has a crush on someone else, and it's blatantly obvious that Chicago has feelings for you," Stacie told her.

The redhead sighed and then watched as Chicago put his helmet on before walking to the center of the field. He did have dreamy eyes, and such a warm and comforting smile. Not to mention really strong arms that would be great for cuddling. _Wait, stop it Chloe. You have a boyfriend, and he's the one want you to be with. Chicago is the one you want to be wi- no! Stop it!_

The game then started and Hartford's defense made an easy stop before the offense took the field. Beca cheered for her best friend as he went out on the field for the first play. The players gathered in the huddle before getting set for the play to start. The quarterback called out to the other players a few times before the center snapped the ball to him, and the first offensive drive of the season for the Hartford Hawks had begun.

They started by running the ball a few times and getting a first down. Then, the coach called a pass play, and everyone knew that the ball was going to Chicago. Chicago lined up on the far side of the field near the opponent's sideline, waiting for the quarterback to snap the ball so he could start running his route.

The whole crowd began to cheer as the ball was snapped, and Chicago ran his route. Their quarterback, Timothy Bales threw it to him and Chicago caught it with ease before juking a safety and heading towards the touchdown. It was a thirty yard touchdown run and the crowd went nuts as Chicago scored the six points. Then, as he promised earlier, Chicago looked over at Chloe and pointed her way.

Chloe smiled when she saw Chicago point to her like he promised, and she clapped her hands and cheered loudly. Stacie took notice of this and smirked at Chloe, leaning in and whispering an "I told you so" to the redhead, making her start to blush.

"That didn't mean anything." Chloe tried to insist.

"Uh huh, and I'm still a virgin." Stacie said, winking not so slyly at Chloe.

Beca saw where Chicago was pointing and once again she scoffed and rolled her eyes. What did he even see in this girl? To Beca she just seemed like some privileged snob who just acting nice to fit in. Yeah she was pretty and all, but Beca wasn't buying her whole act.

At halftime, Hartford was up 28-7 and Chicago had scored two of their touchdowns. Beca, Jesse and Benji all worked on setting up their stage while the football team headed towards their locker room. Once the stage was set up, they brought their instruments up onto the stage and hooked them up to the speakers. Beca turned on the microphone and tapped it a couple times to make sure that it was working before she started speaking.

"Alright everyone, my name's Beca and the two people behind me are Jesse and Benji. We're going to be starting the show in a few minutes but we have to warm-up first." The crowd cheered for the band as they got ready for the show, excited for the best band in the school to perform.

While this was happening Stacie and Chloe were watching on. Stacie was teasing Chloe about the fact that Chicago looked Chloe's way both times that he scored, dedicating it her. "All I'm saying, Chloe, is that Chicago definitely likes you. Based on what you've told me, he's flirting with you. Guys don't just go out of their way to compliment girls that they don't like," Stacie said. "Do you think you might be denying that he likes you because you kind of like him too?"

Chloe didn't know what to say, because Stacie was pretty on point. Yeah, she had kind of grown to like Chicago. He was sweet, charming, smart, good looking. Sue her. And yes she had a boyfriend who she loved, but there was something was drawing her closer to Chicago.

Stacie was about to say something else when the sound of drums stopped her. "Look, they're about to start their set!" She said excitedly, pointing towards Beca's band.

Jesse had started to play the drums and Benji was playing the bass. Beca started a little melody on the keyboard and put it on loop, then going over to the microphone and waiting for her cue to sing.

"Modern Day Cain"- I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

"A modern concussion,

The room is on fire.

You're an upstanding model of a modern day Cain

With impeccable style.

So now you've done a little wrong and you need to be forgiven

By the vicar and the company you keep.

And then you conjure up a fiction

To get the pretty girl to listen.

This is the sin that I

Will confess to release myself

From consequence, and everyone can tell."

The fans in the stands cheered as the band performed, clapping along to the beat of the drums at one point during the song. Beca and Benji took turns playing the guitar before the brunette went into the next verse.

"The moral ejections

To something so profane.

Oh but the deepest of convictions are the darkest positions

In the remissions for the lower coast veins.

So now you've done a little wrong and you swear you didn't do it.

But at least you left your burden with a curse.

And you conjure up a fiction

To get the pretty girl to listen.

This is the sin that I

Will confess to release myself

From consequence, and everyone can tell.

This is the sin that I

Will confess to release myself

From consequence, and everyone can tell.

Everyone can tell, everyone can tell.

And everyone can tell."

Chloe cheered for the band, and she had to admit that Beca was super talented. And an incredible singer. She danced along with the music as the crowd continued to cheer for the band once the song ended. Chloe then turned to Stacie. "Wow, they're really good." She said with a smile.

"That's an understatement. If Beca wasn't going to Los Angeles to produce music after graduation, I have a feeling that their band would be able to do some pretty big things," Stacie said.

"So Benji and Jesse aren't going with her?" Chloe asked, and Stacie nodded. "Why not?"

"Both Jesse and Benji got into different colleges around the country. Jesse is going to University of Evansville in Indiana and Benji is headed to NYU for musical theatre. They're all going their separate ways." She said.

"That's too bad, they're really good." Chloe said as the band began to play their next song.

"Yeah they are, maybe after college they'll reunite." Stacie replied, shrugging her shoulders. Chloe nodded and watched Beca as she rocked out and sang, and Chloe couldn't keep her eyes off the girl. She was a natural performer, she made it look easy to have the time of your life up there.

"Ain't It Fun"- Paramore

"I don't mind

Letting you down easy, but just give it time.

If it don't hurt now just wait, just wait a while.

You're not the big fish in the pond no more,

You are what they're feeding on.

So what are you gonna do

When the world don't orbit around you?

So what are you gonna do

When the world don't orbit around you?

Ain't it fun living in the real world?  
Ain't it good being all alone?"

The second song of their set was filled with more energy than the first, and the crowd started to cheer louder and jump up and down. Beca smiled at this and then went into the next part of the song.

"Where you're from  
You might be the one who's running things. Well you can ring anybody's bell and get what you want.

See it's easy to ignore trouble  
When you're living in a bubble.

Beca looked over at the cheerleaders and spotted Chloe as she sang the first part of the second verse. The lyrics kind of played into the situation these two girls were in. Beca just had this feeling that Chloe wasn't the nice girl she thought she was, and that she got whatever she wanted.

"So what are you gonna do  
When the world don't orbit around you?

So what are you gonna do  
When nobody wants to fool with you?

Ain't it fun, living in the real world?

Ain't it good, being all alone?

Ain't it good to be on your own?

Ain't it fun, you can't count on no one?

Ain't it good to be on your own?

Ain't it fun, you can't count on no one?

Ain't it fun, living in the real world?"

Everyone crowded on the field to get close to the stage as they jumped and danced to the music. Benji then began to clap and got the crowd to join in with him while Beca and Jesse chanted the next part.

"Don't go crying to your mama,

'Cause you're on your own in the real world.

Don't go crying to your mama,

'Cause you're on your own in the real world.

Don't go crying to your mama,

'Cause you're on your own in the real world.

Don't go crying to your mama,

'Cause you're on your own in the real world.

Ain't it fun, ain't it fun?

Baby now you're one of us

Ain't it fun, ain't it fun, ain't it fun?

Ain't it fun, living in the real world?

Ain't it good, being all alone?"

Ain't it good to be on your own?

Ain't it fun, you can't count on no one?

Ain't it good to be on your own?

Ain't it fun, you can't count on no one?

Ain't it fun, living in the real world."

This time the crowd chanted with the band as they waved their hands with the crowd. Chloe being one of those people kept her eyes on Beca but her mind on Chicago as she cheered.

Beca repeated the chorus one last time as the drums and guitar slowly faded out. "Thank you everybody!" She called out into the microphone, making the crowd cheer again. "Unfortunately, halftime is almost up so we'll have to end the show here. Thank you so much for coming out tonight! Go Hawks!"

The crowd cheered them off the stage and Chloe turned to Stacie. "Wow, they're awesome. The whole school loves them, I didn't know a band could be so popular at its own high school. It's a shame that they won't continue to make music after high school," she said.

"Well, that just means that we should try and see them play as much as possible." Stacie said. "They sometimes play at one of the local diners here in Southern Seattle." She mentioned before grabbing her pom-poms. She then turned back to the redhead. "I know you're focused on your music and all, but I think you should add cheerleading to your daily routine. You're really good at it."

"I have been thinking about trying out for the team. I just don't want to get my hopes up and then be let down if I don't end up making the squad," Chloe said, looking down a little. "Do you think I could make the team?"

"After seeing what you can do so far, I think you're already on the team." Stacie mentioned. "Seriously, your round off into three back handsprings and then a backflip was insanely good. You had perfect form."

Chloe smiled at Stacie's words. "Thanks, it means a lot to hear you say that." The redhead was silent for a few moments as thoughts raced through her head. Then her smile grew even wider. "You know what? I will try out for the team."

"I don't think you need to," Stacie said smiling. "I'm one of the head cheerleader's and I talked to the other captain, Bailey Corners. She was really impressed with you Chloe. She and I agreed that if you decided to join, you'd be on the team. You've proved yourself tonight."

Chloe smiled and clapped her hands excitedly. "Sorry, that might've been a little too enthusiastic," The redhead said with a laugh. "But thank you so much for letting me on the team. It means a lot."

"It's really no problem, we could another cool drink of water like you on the squad." Stacie said smiling.

The second half then started and the Hawks nearly doubled the amount of points that they had, scoring three more touchdowns and a field goal. Chicago scored one of those touchdowns and was named "Player of the Game."

After showering the locker room, he saw Chloe and Stacie walking to the parking lot and he smiled before running over to them. "Hey you too, nice cheering tonight."

"Nice footballing tonight," Chloe said back to him with a cute giggle. "Seriously, Chicago. You were awesome. No wonder why all those colleges want you to play for them."

"Nah, I wasn't that great." Chicago said, running his hand through his hair and looking down at the ground blushing.

"You had three touchdowns and were named MVP, Chicago. You were pretty great." Chloe said smiling at him.

"Are you a cheerleader now?" He asked, referring to Chloe's cheerleading uniform.

Chloe nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I am. I never would have predicted that I'd go to one football game and end up watching a concert and joining the cheer team," the redhead said with a laugh.

"Well you look great," Chicago said before biting his lip a little.

Stacie noticed how Chicago was totally flirting with Chloe. "You know what Chloe? I forgot my phone in the locker room, I'll be right back." She lied smiling deviously. "See you Chicago, great game tonight." She said before winking at Chloe and slyly nodding for her to flirt a little.

Chloe watched Stacie walk away and then looked down at the ground, smiling softly to herself. "So, uh, I should probably get going soon. Will you walk with me to my car?" She asked shyly.

"Yeah sure," Chicago said, nodding his head. He then started walking on Chloe's left side and for a moment it was silent, as Chicago was trying to think of what to say. Before he could say anything though, Chloe spoke up.

"Do you ever just look up at the stars and wonder what it's like up there?" The redhead asked. It was pretty dark out so there was a pretty good view of the sky above. "Sorry, that was a weird question. Nevermind," Chloe said, mentally facepalming.

"No, no it's not a stupid question at all." Chicago said smiling the redhead as she cringed a little. "I love looking up at the stars, and I love to wonder which one's are planets, and which ones are a wormhole to another galaxy." He stated, putting his hands in his pockets as they walked through the school's large parking lot.

There was another brief period of silence, during which the two finally reached Chloe's car. Chloe didn't get in her car right away though, instead leaning against the side of it and looking up at the sky. "Yeah, I like imagining if there are other galaxies up there, and what they're like if they exist."

Chicago leaned against the car with her. "It is pretty amazing to imagine such things." He said as he gazed up at the star. "Thanks for coming tonight, you being on the sidelines kind of made me work harder so you could see what a badass football team we have here at Hartford." He added, getting a laugh from the redhead.

Chloe looked from the sky over to Chicago and smiled. "Well, now I'm going to be on the sidelines at every game, so you're gonna have to keep working hard so we win," she replied. There was a cool breeze that went by, so Chloe moved a little closer to Chicago, leaning her head on his shoulder.

When this happened, the young boy smiled and then leaned his head on her shoulder for a moment. He then noticed Chloe was shivering. "Here, take this." He said, taking off his letterman jacket and putting it on Chloe. "So, what did you think of Beca's band?"

"I wasn't expecting them to be as good as they are. They're really, really good. Beca's just as talented as you said she was," Chloe said, smiling as she wore Chicago's letterman jacket.

"They're pretty awesome, huh?" Chicago said. "They're called 'Trio,' and they rock. Beca writes all their songs, she's pretty amazing at it too. They play at a lot of school dances, so you'll definitely hear them at Homecoming."

"That's so cool. Do you think that they'll ever get together for a reunion or something, since they're all going their separate ways after graduation?" Chloe asked.

"I don't know, that would be cool though." Chicago answered. He then turned to look at Chloe. "I would really like to hear you play your piano at some point though, if it's not too much trouble."

"Yeah, of course. Maybe sometime next week we could meet up in the music room and I can play a couple songs for you then," Chloe suggested.

"That sounds perfect." Chicago said smiling, bouncing his car keys in his hands a little bit before looking back up at Chloe. _Why do all the perfect girls have to be taken?_ He thought to himself. "Well, I should probably get going. I'll see you on Monday?" He asked.

"See you on Monday," Chloe said, walking forward and giving Chicago a hug. Before she pulled away, she turned her head and gave him a little kiss on the cheek. "Have a nice weekend!" She called over her shoulder, walking back towards her car and getting in the driver's seat.

"You too," Chicago called back. He placed his hand on his cheek where Chloe had kissed it and he smiled, looking back at the girl as she drove off into the night.

"Yo, lover boy!" Beca called, leaning against his car and taking a sip of a beer out of a case she'd stolen from her dad. "I need a ride home."

"Alright, I'll give you a ride," Chicago said with a chuckle. When he noticed the bottle of beer, he looked at her with a confused look on his face. "Where'd you get that?"

"Snuck it out of the fridge." Beca said chuckling and taking another sip. "He always has the fridge filled with Dos Equis, and I figured it'd be a good way to end the night." She said smiling as Chicago put his football bag in the back of his car. She then noticed his jacket was missing. "Where's your letterman?"

Chicago then realized that he had forgotten to get his letterman jacket back from Chloe before the redhead left. "Uh, I gave it to Chloe because it was cold out. I guess I'll get it back from her on Monday," he answered.

Beca nodded and finished her beer before getting into the passenger's seat of the car. They were silent for the first few minutes of the drive. "You really like her, don't you?"

"Yeah, I really do. It's no use though. She has a boyfriend, and even if she didn't, she probably wouldn't see me in the way that I see her," Chicago said with a sigh.

The brunette nodded and sat there, wondering what he saw in this girl. "What do you even see in her? I mean, yeah she's hot, but she seems so self-centered."

"She's not self-centered at all. You just have to get to know her. She's honestly the perfect girl to me," Chicago said, keeping his eyes on the road as he drove to Beca's house.

"You haven't even known her for a week," Beca stated. "She could be a complete psycho." Beca mentioned, shaking her head. "All I'm saying is, don't get attached too easily. Sometimes a pretty face hides an ugly soul."

"Instead of constantly judging Chloe when you don't really know her, why don't you get to know her first and then judge her? I'm tired of hearing you constantly complain about her. Yeah, I know that you don't like her, but at least give her a chance before you write her off for good," Chicago said.

"I'm sorry, but you know I don't just like anyone. You, Benji and Jesse are the exceptions." Beca said, crossing her arms. She then looked at Chicago, and bit her lip. "I am trying to like her, for your sake. But after all I've been through, you can understand why I don't trust people very easily."

"I know. I'm not faulting you for not trusting people easily. I'm just asking you to try and be pleasant around Chloe, and to not complain about her when I'm around. Does that sound fair?" Chicago asked.

"I'll try," Beca said.

Once they got back to her house she turned to Chicago, and gave him a hug. "Thanks for the ride home." She said grabbing her stuff.

"Don't thank me. You know I'm always happy to give you a ride," Chicago said with a smile. "By the way, you and Jesse and Benji were awesome tonight. You guys killed that set."

"Thanks, you played a great game tonight as well. Bye Chic," Beca said, getting out of the car and walking into her house. She went up to her room and noticed Chloe in her bedroom, sitting down and taking her hair out of her ponytail and brushing it softly. It was a simple yet beautiful sight to see, and it made Beca smile.

Even though it was hard for her to tolerate this girl, Beca did have to admit to one thing. This girl truly was beautiful.

 **So, why is it so hard for Beca to trust people? And do you think she's being mean to Chloe because she secretly likes her? Let us know! Anyways, Chloe is now cheerleading at Hartford High and the Hawks won their first game, with Beca's band rocking out at halftime. What a way to end Chloe's week. Keep reading to find out.**


	3. Chapter 3: Homecoming Part One

Chapter 3: Homecoming Part One

Beca was picking up Hailee and Henry from kindergarten a few weeks later on a Thursday when she got a text from Chicago. She took out her phone after she parked the car and took out her iPhone to look at the text.

 **Chicago:** 'Hey buddy! Can I come over later? I'll bring some pizza and we can talk about girls and play video games. You down?'

 **Beca** : 'Yeah, of course. Feel free to stop by whenever.'

The brunette then pressed send on the message and put her phone back in her pocket, looking out the window and waiting for Hailee and Henry to come out of the school. Beca smiled when she saw her two younger siblings, and she rolled down the window and waved to them as they walked towards her car. "How was your day at school today?" She asked, getting out of the car and helping them into their carseats.

"I painted a rainbow in art today!" Hailee said excitedly as she strapped herself into her seatbelt. She then handed the small painting to Beca. "Isn't it pretty? I painted it for you."

Beca's heart melted at the five year old. "I love it Haiz, I'll make sure to frame this and hang it on my wall." She said, smiling.

"And I painted a tiger!" Henry said, excited to show his older sister the painting he made in art.

Beca took a look at Henry's painting and her smile only grew wider. "Wow, you two are so good at painting! I think you could be artists when you grow up," the brunette said, taking the tiger painting and looking at it more closely.

"Thank you!" The two five year olds said in unison.

"Alright, let's get you two home. And guess what? Chicago is coming over later!" She said, and the twins cheered loudly. They loved Chicago, and thought of him as an older brother. "I knew you guys would be excited." She said before driving off.

Once she got the three of them home, the two five year olds ran inside to say hi to their parents. Beca stayed outside to put the garbage cans and recycling bins back to the side of their house when she saw Chloe coming back from a run. She was wearing a pink sports bra and tight blue running shorts. Beca did think she looked super hot, but the girl still wasn't her favorite person in the world. Still, she was doing her best to be nice to Chloe since Chicago liked her so much. "Did you run here from school?" She asked as she grabbed her own backpack.

Chloe took out her earbuds when she realized Beca was talking to her and then took a sip from her water bottle. "Sorry, what did you ask?"

"I asked if you ran here from school," Beca said, repeating herself from earlier.

Chloe shook her head. "No, I came home and then went on my run. Why do you ask?" The redhead wondered.

The brunette shrugged her shoulders. "No reason. I was just asking," she said, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and walking towards the back door of her house.

"Hey, wait a second." Chloe said, walking back over to Beca. "I never got to tell you how awesome you and your band did at the halftime show a few weeks ago. You really know how to put on a good show."

A small smile appeared on Beca's face when Chloe said that. "Thanks. We practice a lot, and it seems to pay off," Beca replied, putting her hands in her pockets and looking down at the ground. "Chicago told me that you sing and play piano?" She said, looking back up at Chloe.

"Yeah, I do. I play piano, I don't sing that much." Chloe answered, smiling to herself and then taking a sip of water. "The only reason he's heard me sing is because he caught at school after football practice, singing an old Beatles song."

Beca's ears perked up when Chloe mentioned the Beatles. "You like the Beatles?" The brunette asked, not hiding the surprise in her voice. "Huh. I didn't peg you for a Beatles girl. I figured that you'd be someone who only listened to songs on the Top 40 chart."

"You would think that, wouldn't you?" Chloe chuckled. "But I like the Ramones, The Beatles, The Jackson Five, not to mention Whitney Houston and U2. I'm not really into today's music. I mean, I like some of it, but nothing can beat young Michael Jackson. I'm kind of old fashioned when it comes to music."

"You know, I'd never thought I'd say this, but I actually agree with you," Beca said, chuckling along with Chloe. "You've actually got a really good taste in music. If you want, I can make you a mix of songs sometime." The brunette then paused. She had never offered to make a mix for anyone else before. However, it was too late to back out now. "That's kind of what I do, other than the band and basketball. I make mixes."

"Well, if I ever need a mix for a road trip CD, I'll give you a call." Chloe said, smiling.

Beca nodded and then took her hands out of her pockets. "Hey, if you want to, Chicago is bringing some pizza over tonight and we're going to watch my little brother and sister if you want to come."

"You have siblings?" Chloe asked. "That's funny, I never see them."

"I don't know how that's possible. They're always running all over the place," Beca said with a chuckle. "But yeah, I have a younger brother and sister. They're five years old, so they can get pretty rambunctious."

"Aren't all five year olds?" Chloe said with a chuckle. She then took a deep breath. This was actually the first positive conversation she'd ever had with Beca, and it was refreshing. Though she knew not to get used to it, since Chicago told her Beca has a hard time trusting people. "I'll be there tonight once I'm done with my Calculus homework."

"Alright, cool. Just ring the doorbell when you come over and one of us will answer it. I'll see you later," Beca said, giving Chloe a little wave before she turned away to walk into her house.

"See ya," Chloe said, waving back before heading inside her house.

Her mom, Cindy, came walking up to her. "Sweetie, your dress for homecoming just got delivered!" She said, smiling.

"Shut up! Really?" Chloe said excitedly.

"Mmhmm, I put it up in your room. Go ahead and try it on and come show it to me." Cindy said, smiling as she watched her daughter run up the stairs.

Chloe ran upstairs to her room and burst through the door, looking around the room to find the dress. The redhead raised an eyebrow in confusion when the dress was nowhere to be seen. "Mom? Where did you put the dress?" She called down to her mother.

"Try looking in the closet!" Cindy called back to her daughter with a smile.

"Duh, right." She said with a giggle before opening her closet door. Chloe found the dress hanging up and she smiled widely. "Oh my god, it's even more beautiful than the pictures on the website!" She squealed.

"Well try it on and come show me!" Cindy called up to her daughter. "I want to see it!" She said chuckling as she heard Chloe squeal with delight.

Chloe quickly stripped out her sweaty running clothes and then slipped on the dress. It was a knee length, red, sleeveless dress that fit Chloe's waistline perfect. She smiled and then did a couple poses in the mirror before running downstairs to her mom. "What do you think?" She asked, doing a spin for her mom.

Cindy smiled at her daughter and began to tear up a little. "You look beautiful, sweetheart," she said, smiling and hugging her daughter. "I just can't believe that this is your last homecoming. My little baby is growing up so fast!"

"I know, it's kind of crazy." Chloe said, smiling as she turned to look at herself in the mirror. "Do you think Tom will like it?" She asked nervously. He was coming up for her homecoming and she wanted to pick out the perfect dress to wear since she hadn't seen him in three months.

"Of course Tom will like your dress, sweetie. To be honest, I don't think he'll care what dress you're wearing as long as he gets to go to the dance with you. It's been what, almost three months since you saw him last?" Cindy said.

"Yeah, I've missed him so much." Chloe answered with a smile on her face. It slowly faded away, as she thought of another person who she really wanted to see her in this dress. "Hey mom?"

"Yes sweetie?" Cindy asked.

"Is it, normal to have feelings for someone even if you're committed to someone else?" Chloe asked, looking down at the ground.

Cindy paused for a few moments, thinking of how to answer Chloe's question. "I don't think there's anything wrong with having a crush on someone else if you're already in a relationship. What does matter is whether or not you act on that crush, so I'd say that as long as you don't act on those feelings you're having, then it's okay," she told her daughter.

The redhead took a deep breath and nodded, smiling a little bit to acknowledge her mother's answer. "Okay, thanks mom."

"Of course sweetie." She said, smiling, and walking up to Chloe and standing beside her. "Is this about a boy at your new school?"

Chloe hesitated for a second before slowly nodding her head. "Yeah, there's this guy at school who's been really nice to me, and I think that I might like him. He might also like me back, but I'm not totally sure."

"I see, well it's up to what you decide. I mean, you've been with Tom for two years and I know you love him. You haven't know this guy for more than a month, so he may turn out to be not very nice. But, the opposite may happen. Just, try to keep your feelings on the down low. Because I know you don't want to screw things up with Tom." Cindy said before kissing her daughters cheek and walking into her office to continue working.

Chloe stood there, thinking about what her mother had said. Yes, she did love Tom and she didn't want to hurt him, but she was also starting to have feelings for Chicago. The redhead sighed and ran her fingers through her hair before going upstairs to her room to change out of the dress and into some other clothes.

Over at Beca's house, Chicago had just gotten there and the two were sitting together on the couch in the living room while Hailee and Henry were watching a TV show. "I talked to Chloe for a couple minutes and invited her to come over later," Beca said to her best friend. "That's okay with you, right?"

"Yeah of course, why wouldn't it be?" Chicago said, smiling as he took off his jacket. "I'm just impressed that you talked to without saying something mean." He chuckled.

"Yeah well don't get used to it, I only invited because I knew I'd get a good laugh out watching you try and flirt with her." Beca, said chuckling and hanging up his jacket. "You want something to drink?"

"Yeah, just grab me a soda or something. Thanks," Chicago called after Beca as she walked into the kitchen. The brunette returned a few minutes later and handed him a can of Pepsi.

"So, how's it going with you and Chloe?" Beca asked, smirking and wiggling her eyebrows at Chicago.

"What do you mean?" Chicago asked. "There's nothing going on between us." He said, though he knew what Beca was going to say to that.

"Well that's a load of shit if I ever smelt it." Beca said rolling her eyes. "Come on dude, everyone can see you two like each other. It's so damn obvious." She stated while they walked out of the kitchen.

"Okay, fine! I'll admit that I have a crush on her," Chicago said, holding his hands up in the air. "But it's not like I can do anything about it. I don't want to ruin the relationship she has with her boyfriend. That would be a shitty thing to do."

"Yeah it would be, still it's really hard to watch you guys since you both like each other." Beca said raising her eyebrows.

"She doesn't like me, not in that way." Chicago said shaking his head.

"Chic, you're either denying the truth, or you're as blind sixteen year old cat with one eye." Beca stated. "She's totally into you, why do you think she's always laughing at all your jokes or sitting by you everyday at lunch. Not to mention the fact that the last three times we had a friend group movie night, you two were cuddling on the couch like a couple."

Chicago sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to come up with explanations for Beca's examples of him and Chloe acting like a couple. "Well, maybe she always laughs at my jokes because she thinks they're funny-"

"Nope, that's definitely not true," Beca interrupted. "Have you ever heard your jokes before? They're absolutely terrible. Your jokes are like dad jokes. She's not laughing at them because they're funny, she's laughing at them because she likes you. Seriously dude, I'm a girl; so I know what girls do when they like someone, and it's pretty clear Chloe likes you."

"You really think so?" Chicago said as they walked into the living room with Hailee and Henry.

"Yeah," Beca nodded. "Just don't try anything, though. Like you said, it would be crappy of you to break her and boyfriend up."

Chicago was silent for a few minutes, thinking to himself. "So you really think that I'd have a chance with Chloe if she broke up with her boyfriend?"

Beca smirked and chuckled. "Yeah, I think you would." She said, smiling before patting her friend on the back as they watched "Brave" with Henry and Hailee. Chicago smiled to himself as he thought about what Beca said, and that smile stayed on his face for at least fifteen minutes.

At about 6:30, Chloe walked up Beca's front steps and knocked on the door. When a little boy with blonde hair answered the door, Chloe smile. "Hello, who are you?" Henry asked.

"Hi, I'm Chloe. I'm friends with Beca and Chicago. Can I come in?" Chloe asked the little boy with a smile on her face.

Henry nodded and smiled back at her. "Yeah! Beca said that someone was going to be coming over!" He said excitedly, stepping away from the door so Chloe could come inside the house.

"Thank you." Chloe said, smiling at the little boy before she looked up and saw Chicago walking over to her. "Hi," she said avoiding eye contact a little bit and smiling nervously.

"Hey," Chicago said, smiling nervously as well. He scratched the back of his head and looked down before motioning for Chloe to follow him. "Come on in. Beca and I were just watching 'Brave' with the twins."

"Okay, cool. I love that movie," Chloe said before hanging up her jacket and taking off her shoes.

"Hey Red, can I get you something to drink?" Beca said, waving at Chloe when she walked into the living room.

"Uh, yeah. Just bring me whatever. Thanks," Chloe said, smiling and then going over to sit on the couch. There was definitely tension between her and Chicago at the moment, as he was sitting on the opposite side of the couch as she was. Chloe glanced over at him and bit her lip a little before turning her attention to the movie.

"How's cheerleading going?" Chicago asked, breaking the ever so awkward silence between the two. "Stacie told me you're doing really well, are you having fun?"

Chloe nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm having a lot of fun. It's challenging at times, but I love it," she answered, looking over at Chicago. "I would ask how football's going, but I already know that since I'm at every game," the redhead added with a little laugh.

"Yeah, you would." Chicago said before swallowing a lump in his throat. "You said Tom was coming up this week for homecoming, right? If so, I can't wait to meet him."

"He's coming up for my homecoming and then I'm going back to Portland for his homecoming," Chloe said. "I think that you'll like him. You both play football, so that's something you have in common."

 _That and the fact that we both have feelings for you_ , Chicago thought to himself. "I think I remember you telling me that. Have you gotten a dress yet?"

"My dress actually shipped to my house a few hours ago," Chloe said with a smile. "I've already tried it on and everything. It fits perfectly, and it's even prettier than the pictures on the website."

"I bet that jaws will drop when people see you in it next week." Chicago said, smiling at the girl's excitement.

Chloe's smile grew wider and she looked away, feeling herself begin to blush. "Thanks," she murmured softly, looking down towards the floor.

Beca walked back in with a glass of iced water in her hand for Chloe. "Here, for you." She said with a smile before sitting down in between the two of them, smiling when Hailee jumped on her lap and Henry jumped onto Chicago's lap. "You two should pay attention to the movie that we put on for you guys. If you don't pay attention, we'll change it to something else.

"No!" Henry and Hailee shouted at the same time. "We promise that we'll pay attention!"

"Alright, now watch the movie." Beca said chuckling at her little sister, handing her little sippy cup filled with apple juice.

After the movie was over, Beca and Chicago took the two twins who were passed out upstairs to their bedrooms. "I'll take care of them, you go talk to your future girlfriend." Beca whispered as they set Henry down in his bed.

"Are you sure?" Chicago said, still a little hesitant to go talk to Chloe since things had been so awkward between them earlier.

"Yes, I'm sure. It's probably weird for her that she's sitting down there all by herself. Now go talk to her," Beca said, giving Chicago a little push towards the door.

"Okay, I will." Chicago said before leaving Beca to put Hailee down for bed. He walked down and smiled when he saw Chloe on her phone, and he went to sit down next to her. "Hey," he said again, like he had earlier. "I'm glad you came over." He looked down at the floor.

"I'm glad that I came over too. I had fun watching the movie with you guys," Chloe said, leaning back against the couch. She noticed the space between them, so she moved over so there wasn't as much space. "Are you excited for homecoming this year?" She asked.

"I mean, yeah I guess. I don't really have a date, though." Chicago chuckled. "I actually never bring a date to the dance, I just go stag with a group of friends." He added, putting his arm on the armrest of the couch.

"Does Beca usually go with you and your friends?" Chloe asked. "I mean, I'm assuming that she's going to the dance since her band is going to be playing during part of it."

"Yeah, she'll be there. She also holds an after party once the dance is over, it's just for people to come and hang out at. It never gets too rowdy, but it's nice." Chicago said, smiling at the redhead. "Maybe, you can bring yourself and Tom here afterwards."

"Do you think Beca would be okay with that? I mean, we've only had one conversation where we haven't argued, and she doesn't even know Tom," Chloe pointed out.

"Chloe, don't worry about it. Everything is going to be alright, Beca just needs a bit longer before she opens up to you. Besides, she'll probably be busy making out with some girl in another room, so you may not have to deal with her." Chicago said with a smile and laugh.

"What about you? Will you be making out with a girl you meet at the dance?" Chloe asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

Chicago chuckled and shook his head. "No, probably not. I mean, you never know what'll happen, but that's unlikely," he replied.

Chloe smiled and then looked into Chicago's deep blue eyes. They were rather easy to get lost in, and Chloe had caught herself doing it a few times in the past month. This was just one of those times. "I'm really glad you were the one who gave me the tour on my first day, otherwise we may never have become friends."

"Oh I think we would've," Chicago said, gazing right back into Chloe's eyes.

The two continued to look into each other's eyes for a little while longer until Chloe looked away. "I should probably go back home now. It's getting kinda late," the redhead said, walking over and grabbing her jacket.

"Can I walk you home?" Chicago asked.

"You could, though it'd be rather short since I live next door." Chloe said with a chuckle.

"You never know what could happen on that walk, within ten feet you could trip and fall." Chicago said.

Chloe chuckled, smiling at Chicago's cheeky attempt at humor. "I think I'll be okay, but thank you Chic." She said, smiling.

"At least let me help you with your jacket, it could be cold outside." The young boy said, stepping behind her and helping her put on her jacket. Once Chloe had her jacket on, the two walked back over to Chloe's house and stopped outside her front door. "So, I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow," Chloe said with a smile, biting her lip a little. She looked down at her feet, her hands in her pockets. "And I do appreciate you walking me to my door, Chicago. It made me feel safe knowing that I had someone with me if I tripped and fell."

Chicago chuckled at these words. "Anytime, Chlo," he said, smiling at the redhead. He gazed into her eyes for a few moments, then briefly looked down at her lips before looking back into her eyes.

The redhead really did want to lean in and kiss the boy standing in front of her, but she knew that would probably be the dumbest thing to do. "I'll see you tomorrow, Chic." She said again before kissing his cheek and turning to walk inside.

Chicago felt his face begin to heat up where Chloe's lips had been, and he smiled to himself before turning around and walking back over to Beca's house. When he got back inside, he found Beca sitting on the couch in the living room. "So? How did it go with your girlfriend?"

"I think she was about to kiss me, just then." Chicago said, sitting down next to Beca.

"Wow, great. So did she?" Beca asked.

"Yes, but on the cheek. Still, we both stood there and kept looking at each others lips." He said, smiling. "I think you may be right, I think she likes me."

"See? What did I tell you? She totally likes you, dude," Beca said with a smirk. "You really should listen to me more often. I usually end up being right about things that we disagree on."

"That is true a lot of the time." Chicago said, smiling and grabbing his jacket. "I better head home, see you at school."

"Yup, see you then."

The week of Homecoming came, and it was Friday a day before the dance. Chloe was currently at the airport, waiting outside security for Tom. She really was so excited to see him, and her heart was racing. But while she was excited, she was also nervous. After everything that's been going on with Chicago, she hope Tom didn't see that his own girlfriend had a crush on another guy at school.

Besides all this however, her week had been rough and she really wanted to see her boyfriend. Beca had been a pain in her side once again, and Chloe really just needed a steamy makeout session with her boyfriend before the football game to let it all out.

Chloe stood there and tapped her foot on the floor as she waited for Tom. A smile spread across the redhead's face when she saw him walking towards her, and she ran to him and jumped in his arms. "I missed you so much," she said, her arms wrapped around his neck tightly.

Tom picked her up and spun around with Chloe in his arms. "It feels so good to have you in my arms again," He mumbled before kissing her neck softly. He then pulled back and looked into Chloe's eyes. "I've missed you too babe, so much!" He said, smiling before pulling her into a deep but public-friendly kiss.

"I can't believe we've been apart for three months. It feels like a lifetime," Chloe murmured as their lips parted. She smiled and bit down on her lip a little before leaning in for another kiss.

"I know, babe. It's been too long." Tom said with a smile before they went to grab his bags from baggage claim.

Chloe then drove him to her new house. "Do you want to come to the football game tonight? It's a rivalry game, and Hartford's team is really good." She said as they pulled into the driveway.

"Yeah, that sounds like fun. I can't wait to see you in your cheerleading outfit." Tom mentioned with a wink as he got his stuff out of the back of the car.

"Try to keep it in your pants when you see me in my cheerleading uniform," Chloe said with a chuckle, helping Tom carry some of his stuff into her house.

"Don't worry, I will." Tom said with a smile before kissing her cheek as they set stuff down. "So, have you made a lot of friends here?"

"Yeah, I have actually. I'm friends with everyone on the cheerleading team, and I've also become friends with some people from my classes," Chloe told him.

"That's really so great to hear." Tom said, smiling as they went up to her room to cuddle for awhile before Chloe had to head to the game. Tom wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "I've missed you a lot, you know?"

Chloe leaned back into his embrace and smiled as he kissed her cheek. "Yeah, I know. I've missed you a lot too. It's been really hard being away from you for so long," the redhead murmured.

"Mmmm, it really sucked, being away from you." Tom said before leaning in and kissing her neck softly. He knew Chloe loved his neck kisses, so why not give her a few? It'd been three months since they'd seen each other. "I'm excited to see your dress on you tomorrow."

"And I'm excited to see your suit on you tomorrow. I bet you're going to look so handsome," Chloe said, smiling and sighing happily. She closed her eyes, relaxing as Tom kissed her neck. "So, I was thinking that maybe we could have a little fun after the game tonight? That is, if you're not too tired from traveling."

"I think a one hour flight won't tire me out too much." Tom said, smiling at his girlfriend. "What did you have in mind?" He murmured, rolling so that they were face to face.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Chloe's mouth and she gazed into Tom's eyes. "I think you know what I have in mind," she whispered, leaning in and connecting their lips in a passionate kiss.

"I definitely know now," Tom chuckled before placing his hands on Chloe's hips and kissing her back.

The next day, Chicago was meeting Beca and driving her to the dance before going in a group. Stacie was his date for the night (even though she knew he liked Chloe), and they were going in a group with Tom and Chloe. Chicago pulled up to Stacie's house and knocked on her door. "Hey," he said, smiling as he stood there in his nice suit. "You look great," he said.

"You don't look too bad yourself," Stacie said, smiling and kissing his cheek. Their parents took a few pictures of them together before sending them on their way to the dance. Stacie's parents had rented a limo for the group to use for the night, so once they finished taking the photos, they got inside the limo and gave the driver directions to Chloe's house.

Once they pulled up in front of Chloe and Beca's houses, Chicago saw Chloe and Tom together for the first time. He leaned over and whispered to Stacie, "Am I completely horrible for wanting to punch that guy in the face? I mean, he's dating Chloe, the girl of my dreams."

Stacie shrugged. "I mean, I don't think you're a horrible person for wanting to punch Tom. He does kinda look like a douchebag. But I wouldn't punch him if I were you. I have a feeling that would make Chloe very upset."

"But if he's a total douche, how was he able to land Chloe?" Chicago asked, getting out of the car to greet the couple.

"That's a good question," Stacie said before getting out with her homecoming date.

When Chicago walked up to them, his eyes were on Chloe and how beautiful she looked in her red dress. "Hey, you look beautiful." He said to Chloe with a shy smile.

"Yeah, she really does," Tom said, stepping between the two. He held out his hand for Chicago to shake. "Hi, I'm Tom. And you are?"

"Chicago, I'm a friend of Chloe's." Chicago said gripping Tom's hand with a firm responsive handshake. "Nice to meet you, Chloe talks about you a lot."

"And she's mentioned you as well. It's nice to meet you. Chloe said that you helped her find her way around the school on her first day, and I appreciate that," Tom said.

"It was my pleasure, Chloe's an awesome person and we're happy that she's a Hartford Hawk." Chicago said before smiling. The tension could be cut with a knife. Tom was the jealous type, and he didn't really seem all thrilled to meet Chicago. But then again, Chicago wasn't that thrilled to meet Tom either.

It was just then that Beca walked out in a cute, blue and green plaid suit and waved at everyone. "Hey guys!" She said as she walked over with her guitar case. Her jaw dropped when she saw Chloe and Stacie in their homecoming dress. "Wow, you two ladies will stop traffic looking that hot." She chuckled.

"Hey, Beca!" Chicago said, glad that he didn't have to continue his awkward conversation with Tom. "You're looking pretty dapper in that plaid suit of yours, I must say," he added, giving his best friend a high five.

"Thank buddy, you clean up nice in that suit." Beca said, smiling as she walked over. She then saw the tall, brunette, teenage boy standing by Chloe. "And Chloe, this must be your ken doll boyfriend Tom." She said with devious smirk on her face walking over and shaking Tom's hand as Chloe rolled her eyes. "I'm Beca, nice to meet you."

"Tom, nice to meet you too," Tom said, shaking Beca's hand. He noticed the brunette had her guitar case with her, and he raised an eyebrow curiously. "What are you bringing that to the dance for?" He asked.

"Well, I'm in the band playing at the dance tonight. I won't be stealing guys dates with my dance moves, but I will be stealing them with my lyrics." Beca said with a chuckle before jokingly winking at Chloe in a flirtatious manner.

Everyone chuckled as well, Tom glaring at Beca a little but doing his best to hide it. "So, we should probably get going to the dance now, right? We don't want to be late," He said.

"Yeah, why don't we get going?" Chloe said, smiling at Tom and then looking at Chicago, smiling at how handsome he looked as Tom led her to the limo.

All five of them got in the limo and chatted amongst themselves while the driver took them to the school, which was where the dance was taking place. When they arrived, they handed in their tickets and proceeded to go to the gym. "Wow, it never ceases to amaze me how they manage to transform this place for school dances," Beca said as they looked at all the decorations that had been put up.

Jesse walked up with Aubrey as his date, and then Emily and Benji at their side. They all introduced themselves to Tom and then Benji, Beca, and Jesse went to set up and do a soundcheck. Chloe snuck over to Chicago and smiled. "Hey, I never got the chance to tell you earlier, but thank you." She stated.

Chicago raised his eyebrow in confusion. "Uh, you're welcome? Sorry, I just don't know what you're thanking me for," He said with a little chuckle.

"For your compliment earlier, saying I looked beautiful. It was really sweet of you." Chloe said, smiling at the boy. "Tom said I looked hot as hell, but I have to say that your compliment made my heart skip a bit more. Tom's never really been that romantic, but he is a sweetheart and he means well."

"I mean, I really wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary by telling you that you look beautiful. I was just stating a fact," Chicago said with a shrug of the shoulders.

"Still, it felt like it was more from the heart. So thank you," Chloe said, taking a sip of water. "I also didn't get the chance to tell you how handsome you look."

Chicago smiled and blushed at Chloe's compliment. "Thanks. You have to give credit to Stacie for the suit, she's the one that helped me pick it out. I wouldn't have picked out a very good one on my own."

"Well you look great," Chloe said, smiling and giggling a little bit. "Very James Bond." She chuckled.

Tom then came up and wrapped his arm around Chloe. "Hey babe, it looks like Beca's band is about to start, let's go and dance." He said, pulling her away from Chicago. Tom's phone accidently fell out of his pocket but he didn't notice and kept on walking.

"Dude, you dropped your phone." Chicago said, picking it up. But Tom didn't seem to hear him. He then pressed the home button on the phone and saw a picture of Tom and Chloe on the lockscreen, which wasn't surprising. What was surprising however, was that there were multiple texts from some girl named Lauren.

 **What will Chicago find on these texts? Stay tuned to find out. And for those of you who are worried about Chicago and Chloe getting together: even if they do, we told you Bechloe would be endgame. So we hope you stick with us!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	4. Chapter 4: Homecoming Part Two

Chapter 4: Homecoming Part Two

Two new messages popped up on the screen from Lauren, adding to the countless others that were already on the screen. Chicago could feel the anger bubbling inside as he read them.

 **Lauren:** I miss you so much baby, please come home soon :(

 **Lauren:** Here's a little something just for you Tommy ;)

There was a picture attached with the second message, and Chicago turned off Tom's phone and closed his eyes. Chloe deserved someone so much better than Tom; she deserved someone who wouldn't cheat on her. _She deserves someone like me_ , Chicago thought to himself.

He turned and saw the girl dancing with her boyfriend and having a good time. Chicago wanted more than anything to go up there and punch him in the face, but he also didn't want to do something that would ruin Chloe's night. The young boy was in a moral dilemma, and he couldn't decide what to do. The dance had just started and Beca's band was rocking out, the crowd cheering loudly.

"Hey Chic, come and dance with me." Stacie said, grabbing the young boy's hand and dragging him to the dance floor. Chicago put Tom's phone in his pocket and followed Stacie onto the dance floor. Chicago then decided to wait until Beca's band took a break before he told anyone.

After half an hour, the band took their first break with someone taking over as the temporary DJ until they came back. Beca was taking a sip from a bottle of water when Chicago came up to her. "Hey, what's up? Are you having a good time?" She asked her friend.

"I need you to come with me," Chicago said before taking his friends hand and leading into one of the empty wings near the gymnasium. "Beca, I don't think Tom is the nice guy that Chloe's making him out to be." He said.

Beca raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Chicago then took Tom's phone out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Look at the messages he's been getting."

"Dude, you stole his phone?" Beca said as he handed it to her.

"No, no I didn't. He dropped it and when I yelled to him that he had, he didn't hear me and kept on walking. I clicked the home button to check the time and I saw the messages." Chicago said, folding his arms as Beca read one of the new messages aloud.

"'Hey Tommy, I've been thinking about you all day. You better get back home before I find another guy to give me what I need.'" Beca said, cringing at the message. "Fuck, that's disgusting."

"We have to find out a way to tell Chloe." Chicago stated in a very genuine and concerned tone.

"And what do you propose we do, Chic?" Beca asked, handing the phone back to him. "We can't just burst in there and force Chloe to read the messages. You need a good plan that doesn't cause a scene. At least not here."

"I know. I don't know how we're going to do this without causing some sort of scene. Chloe's going to be really upset when we tell her," Chicago said, running his fingers through his hair. "I just can't believe he would do that to her. Does he even realize how lucky he is to be with her?"

"I mean, obviously he doesn't because if he did know how lucky he was, he wouldn't be cheating on her." Beca said, putting her hands on her hips. "I mean, I don't think he's super lucky, but I know that you think differently. Still, nobody deserves to be cheated on, not even Chloe."

"Nobody ever deserves to be cheated on. It's a real shitty thing to do," Chicago said with a sigh. "We've got to come up with some sort of plan, though. We really have to think this through."

"I agree. But I think you should also keep in mind that no matter how we decide to do this, it's going to hurt Chloe a lot. So we've got to figure out a way to do it so the least amount of damage is caused." Beca stated. "Even though I'm not her biggest fan, I'll help you out with this."

"Thank you, I really appreciate it," Chicago said with a small smile. He checked the time on his watch and then turned to start walking back to the gym. "We don't want to be gone for too long. People might start to wonder where we are, and I'm certain that they'll want your band to start playing again after that awful DJ finishes his set," the boy said with a chuckle.

Beca laughed and then followed her best friend back into the gym to join everyone else. Chicago went to join Stacie and dance with her while Beca's band got set back up. She looked at Chloe and Tom, and for the first time in knowing her, Beca felt bad for Chloe. Nobody, not even her, deserved to be taken for granted like this.

The band played for the rest of the dance, playing both upbeat and slow songs for the crowd of students to dance to. It was around 10:30 when the dance ended, and the band quickly packed up their instruments so Beca could get back to her house and get everything ready for the after-party.

Her family was out of town for the weekend, so she didn't have to worry about waking up the twins or her parents. She was having Chicago, Jesse, Aubrey, Benji, Emily, Cynthia Rose, Stacie, Chloe, and the lowlife cheater named Tom over for the party. Once everyone got there, they all went and sat down on the couches in the living room while Beca got them some drinks.

"Alright, what do you guys want to drink? I've got pretty much everything you can imagine," the brunette called from the kitchen. Everyone got what they wanted to drink and things were going pretty smoothly so far, but Beca and Chicago were still trying to find a way to confront Tom.

It was pretty hard to talk to him right now considering he and Chloe were making out on the couch. Beca nearly gagged at the sight, not because she was against PDA, but Tom just looked like a terrible kisser. _Man, poor Chloe._ Beca thought to herself. _She's had to kiss him for two years?_

The brunette then went back into the kitchen to get herself another beer when Chicago walked in. Before he said anything she raised her hand up to stop him. "I know, we need to do something soon."

"How are we supposed to do it? Do we just pull them apart from their makeout session and then tell Chloe that Tom's been cheating on her for who knows how long?" Chicago said.

"No, that's just stupid. Not only will Chloe be upset by finding out about her boyfriend's affair, she'll also be mad at us for interrupting their makeout session." Beca mentioned, sipping her beer. "Although, I don't know how she'd be too upset. He doesn't seem to be that good of a kisser. We'll just have to wait until one of them goes to the bathroom or get up to get another drink."

Chicago nodded and then looked back out into the living room, looking away when he saw them still kissing. "I just feel so bad for her, you know? She deserves so much better than someone who cheats on her," he said sadly.

"No one deserves to be with someone who's unfaithful to them, Chic." Beca said, sighing to herself. "I should know, considering what happened with my last relationship." She then took a sip of her beer and patted her friends shoulder. "I'll keep an eye on them, you go hang out with Jesse and Stacie and all them."

"Okay, let me know if you think of any ideas as to how we should tell Chloe the truth," Chicago said, grabbing a beer from the fridge before going to join Stacie and everyone else in the other room.

Beca nodded and then kept a good eye on Chloe and Tom, waiting for a perfect moment to step in and confront Tom. It was about an hour or so later when that moment arrived.

Tom was coming into the kitchen to get another drink for himself and Chloe. Beca smiled in a half-ass manner, like she wasn't really trying. "Enjoying yourself Tom?" She asked, feigning a genuine tone.

"Yeah, I am actually. Thanks for inviting me over. Tonight has been a lot of fun," Tom said, reaching towards the fridge to open it. He opened it, but then Beca slammed it shut before he could get the drinks out. "What the hell was that for?"

"Sorry, there's a drink limit for asshole's who cheat on their girlfriends." Beca said, keeping her hand against the refrigerator door. "Why don't you tell me how long you've been talking to Lauren?" She said, pulling his phone out of her pocket, and pulling it back when he tried to grab it.

"How the fuck did you get that?" Tom asked angrily, reaching for his phone a second time only to have Beca pull it away again.

"You see that's a funny story." Beca said, twirling it around in her hand. "You dropped it at the dance, and when Chicago picked it up for you, he say a few text scandalous messages showing up on your lockscreen."

Chloe then walked in and saw Beca holding Tom's phone as Tom's face seemed to be covered with panic. "Is everything alright in here?"

"I don't know, Chlo. Why don't you ask your boyfriend why he's been texting some girl named Lauren?" Beca said, opening the phone to his text messages with the girl.

Chloe took the phone from Beca, trying not to cry as she read the messages from the conversation. "Tell me this is a joke," The redhead said, looking from the phone to Tom, who now had a guilty look on his face. "Tell me that this isn't true."

Beca looked at Chloe and then to Tom. "He doesn't have to say anything, the look on his face says it all." She stated as everyone else began to crowd into the room. Beca then stepped closer to Tom. "Do you have any idea how this feels? To find out that the one person you knew you could trust, has betrayed you? It's a pretty shitty feeling." Beca said, she was about to say something when Tom cut in.

"I don't know who you think you are, but you need to stay in your own lane and mind your own business. You don't have any right to criticize me-" Tom said before Beca interrupted him.

"Yes, actually, I do. I have the right to criticize you, and so does every other decent human being in the world. Cheating on someone is never okay. I don't care if it was an 'accident.' You never do that to someone, because that person will think that they must have done something wrong to cause their significant other to stray away from them. I know how it feels to get cheated on. It's one of the worst feelings in the world. So don't you dare act like I'm in the wrong for calling you out on being an asshole," Beca snapped.

Tom turned away from Beca and turned to Chloe, who looked back up from the messages between Tom and his mistress, which was former best friend Lauren It was safe to say that Chloe would be blocking her number from her phone, as well as Tom's. "It says that your text messages started two weeks after I left." She said, letting few tears fall from her eyes. "Why would you do this?"

"I made a mistake, Chloe. I'm-" Tom started, once again being cut off by the short brunette.

"No, a mistake is something that you make once before trying to fix it. You don't make the same mistake several times. That's not an accident, and it's not a mistake either." Beca said sternly.

"But I love Chloe," Tom said, trying to defend himself.

"Bullshit." Chicago said stepping in between Tom and Chloe. "If you did, you wouldn't have been seeing someone behind her back."

Tom rolled his eyes at Chicago. "Great, it's you again. Why don't you move out of the way so I can talk to my girlfriend, who you've obviously been flirting with and crushing on ever since she got here."

"Yeah well, at least she had been faithful to you." Beca said, moving to stand next to Chicago.

"You don't deserve a girl as amazing as Chloe, you pathetic scumbag. Chloe doesn't want to be with you anymore" Chicago said, stepping forward to keep Tom away from Chloe.

"Oh yeah, why don't you let her decide what she wants?" Tom said before pushing Chicago gently out of the way so he was face to face with Chloe. He cupped her cheeks. "I made a mistake, babe. Please give me another chance and I won't let you down."

"Give you another chance? You think I'd even consider giving you another chance after this?" Chloe said, pushing Tom's hands away from her face as more tears began to fall down her cheeks. "I'm not going to give you another chance, Tom, because I can't trust you anymore! I can't trust that you'll be faithful to me when you've already broken that promise!"

"Just like that, huh? You're just going to throw away our two amazing years together?" Tom said, stepping back.

"No," Chloe stated, sniffling a little bit. "You threw it away when you decided to start sleeping with my old best friend." She said, opening his phone to delete her number from his contacts.

"Give me that," Tom said, taking his phone from Chloe before she could delete her phone number. "Let's go sit down in the living room and talk about this. Don't make any drastic decisions that you'll regret later. You should really stop overreacting about this whole thing."

Tom took Chloe's hand and was about to lead her to the other room when Beca swung her left fist at him, making contact with his face and causing him to stumble backwards. "Get out of my house," the brunette stated in a firm voice.

"Nice punch there, midget." Tom said, chuckling once he regained his balance. "Why don't you go teach five year olds how not to throw a left hook?"

That lead to Beca punching him square in the nose before kneeing him in the stomach, making him gasp in pain and fall to the floor. "Get the hell out of my house. Now." She said, grabbing his phone and pressing delete on Chloe's number.

Tom slowly got back on his feet, still clutching at his stomach. "You're going to regret this, Chloe. I'm the best guy that you'll ever get," Tom said, slowly making his way over to the front door.

"No, you're not the best guy that she'll ever get. There's a lot of better guys out there who won't cheat on her," Chicago called after Tom. Once Tom had left, Chicago turned to Chloe. "Hey, are you okay?" The whole group of people there slowly backed away, except for Beca and Chicago so they could comfort Chloe if needed.

Chloe sniffled as a thick lump formed in her throat, and tears began falling down her cheeks. "No, no I'm not okay. I just found out my boyfriend is a two-timing, backstabbing, untrustworthy asshole. How do you think I'm doing?" Chloe said, grabbing a beer.

Chicago nodded in understanding. "If you want to talk about it, I'm always here for you. I mean, I know you probably just want to be alone right now so you can process everything, but I'm here for you if you need me."

The redhead took a swig of beer and then turned away from Chicago without another word, walking to the back porch of Beca's house and sitting outside by herself. Beca sighed and patted his shoulder. "Just give her an hour or so to cool down, then go and talk to her. But don't make a move unless she insinuates it, you don't want to go in for a kiss unless she tells you to or unless she kisses you first."

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to make a move now when she's upset about Tom. Plus, I don't want to be a rebound. That wouldn't be good for either of us," Chicago replied, looking down and putting his hands in his pockets. "Tonight has certainly been eventful, hasn't it?"

"It certainly has been." Beca said, clinking her beer bottle with Chicago's and then taking a sip. She then looked out and saw Chloe sitting there, and Beca began to feel empathy for the redhead. She too had gone through this situation, she also knew how fucking shitty it felt to be taken advantage of like that. For the time since she'd met the redhead, Beca wanted nothing else to comfort her and to tell her everything was going to get better.

A little while later, Chicago decided to go out to the back porch and check on Chloe. He opened the door and stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind him and sitting down in the chair next to Chloe's. "Hey," was all he said, looking over at Chloe to see if she reacted.

Chloe nodded her head to acknowledge him while she scratched at the sticker label on her beer bottle. Her heart was aching from everything that had just happened, and she was still processing the fact that she and her boyfriend of two years had just ended things. The two of them sat there in silence for awhile, Chicago trying to figure out what to say while Chloe looked up at the night sky, deep in thought.

Finally, Chicago decided to break the silence. "So the weather is, uh, really nice tonight," the boy said awkwardly, internally-cringing at himself.

The redhead smiled half-heartedly at Chicago's attempt to try and make her smile. She then shook her head and looked down. "I'm such an idiot." She stated.

"What, no you're not an idiot. Tom's an asshole." Chicago said, sitting up and looking at Chloe. "He didn't deserve you."

"Maybe not, but he played me for so long and I fell for it. I fell for it for the last two and a half months of life, Chic." Chloe said, running her hands through her hair, and groaning a little bit before taking a swig of beer. "I should've known something was up with him. He's been calling me less and less since I've been here, and whenever we talked he was always so aloof and distant towards me."

"Listen to me, Chloe," Chicago said, making sure that he had Chloe's full attention before he continued. "This is not your fault. In no way is this your fault. Tom was the one who made the decision to cheat on you. Don't blame yourself for this when you couldn't have controlled it. You're not in the wrong in this situation, Tom is."

"I know he is, but that doesn't change the fact that he played me. And I fell for it, I fell for it as heavily as an one hundred pound weight drops to the ground." Chloe said, shaking her head. "I fell for it, I was too dumb to see what he was doing to me behind my back even though I could feel something was off."

Chicago sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sure that there were some signs, but you can't blame yourself for not picking up on them. You weren't the one who was unfaithful. In these situations, the cheater is always at fault, not the person who got cheated on," he said.

"I just can't believe that he's gone. He was the first guy that ever made me feel like I was more than just a simple girl." Chloe said, laughing sadly and shaking her head.

"You deserve so much better than him, Chloe. You deserve someone who won't just make you feel like you're more than a simple girl, but who will also put you above everything else. You deserve someone who will always be faithful to you, no matter what. You deserve someone who makes you truly happy," Chicago told her in a genuine voice.

"And when am I going to find that person, Chicago?" Chloe said looking into his blue eyes, searching for answers in those soft orbs. "Tell me when, and then maybe I'll believe you."

"I can't answer that question, Chloe. But what I can tell you is that there's someone out there for you. Everyone has a person for them. You just have to trust that you'll find them eventually. Don't give up hope now just because a relationship ended badly. There's so many fish in the sea, and there's no way that you'll be alone for the rest of your life," Chicago said.

Chloe sat there for a moment before drying her tears and nodding. She then chuckled a little bit. "Beca sure set him straight earlier."

Chicago chuckled a little as well. "Yeah, she always gets pissed off when people make fun of her height. Tom didn't know what he had coming for him."

"No, no he didn't." Chloe added, smiling for the first time she had seen the texts between Lauren and Tom. After another moment of silence, Chloe spoke up again. "You and Stacie looked cute together tonight as each other's homecoming dates."

"Thanks. We're just friends, though. Stacie's not really into guys like me," Chicago said, chuckling again.

"Yeah, she told me that awhile back." Chloe said. She then looked up at the sky, gazing at the stars and all the bright constellations. "This really is a sight that helps me escape, that and just messing around on the piano."

Chicago looked up at the stars as well, a smile spreading across his face. "Yeah, I can see why looking up there can help. It's so beautiful," he murmured.

"One of the most beautiful sights in the world," Chloe said. "And it's one of the sights people seem to ignore, unfortunately. What's your favorite thing to look at?"

Chicago shrugged his shoulders. "I don't really know. When I was a kid, my dad took me to see the Grand Canyon, so that was really cool."

"I've never been to the Grand Canyon, that's pretty cool." Chloe said smiling and looking at Chicago. She then decided to throw caution to the wind. "Hey Chic, was Tom right when he said you have feelings for me?"

Chicago froze when he heard Chloe's question. The boy's mind drew a complete blank; he didn't know how to answer that question. Yes, there was no doubt that he had feelings for Chloe, but he didn't want to try and make a move after she and Tom had just broken up. "I…" He started, not finishing that thought.

"Just say 'yes' or 'no.'" Chloe stated, knowing what she had asked had sparked a million thoughts in Chic's head. "I just need to know if he was right, or if he was just imagining things."

Chicago closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then finally answered Chloe's question. "Yes," he said in a quiet voice, opening his eyes and looking at Chloe. "Yes, he was right. But that doesn't mean I came out here to make a move on you, I just wanted to see if you were doing alright."

Chloe sat there for a moment, staring blankly at Chicago. She knew that she had literally just ended her long term relationship with Tom, but a part of her really wanted to kiss him and forget all about the heartbreak she'd experienced that night. It was a little while later before Chloe spoke again. "You like me?" She said, smiling softly.

Chicago nodded, smiling a little as well. "Yeah, I may or may not have had a crush on you from the moment I saw you," he admitted, looking down and blushing.

"So that's why you blush every single time I give you a compliment." Chloe said, smiling at the blushing teenage boy. She then took a deep breath. "You know, I'd be lying if I said I never thought about you in that way either."

Chicago looked up when Chloe said this, not sure if he had heard her correctly. "Wait, what? You like me too?" He asked.

"Chic, why else do you think I choose you to cuddle with on movie nights?" Chloe said, smiling at him. "Why else do you think I blush every time you smile at me? It's because I can't get you out of my head. And I don't want to."

Chicago's smile grew at these words, but then it faltered. He looked down and scratched the back of his head. "I don't want to jump into anything too soon. I'm not saying that that you would want to jump into something quickly, it's just...I don't want to be a rebound," he said in a quiet voice.

"Oh, okay." Chloe answered, sniffling a little bit. "Yeah, no I totally understand." She stated before finishing her beer. Her aching heart just took another hit at those words, though she couldn't be mad at Chicago for not wanting to be her rebound. But in her mind, he wouldn't be that at all. She really, really liked him and wanted to call him her own. He was so sweet, so kind, so handsome, so smart; what girl wouldn't want him? While she respected the boys decision, that didn't make her anymore happy. "I-I think I'm going to get home now." She said, standing up and holding her empty beer bottle.

"Chloe, wait." Chicago stood up and grabbed the redhead's arm before she could walk away. "I'm not saying that I don't want to be with you. Believe me, I do. I just want you to be completely sure that you want to be with me before we jump into anything, okay? I just want what's best for you."

"Why would I say something like that if I weren't absolutely sure of how I felt?" Chloe said, removing her arm from Chicago's grip. "I'm just some flakey girl who says stuff to get what she wants, I say what I mean." She stated firmly. "I understand that you don't want to be the rebound, I get that. But don't question the fact that I want to be with you. You wouldn't be some guy I used to get back on my feet. I'm not that kind of girl." She said, throwing her bottle in trash can on the deck.

"I know that, Chloe, and I didn't say that you were that kind of girl. And I'm not questioning your feelings for me," Chicago said, sighing and running his fingers through his hair.

"I can't deal with this right now. Either you want to be with me, or you don't. And I'm not going to wait around for you to make your mind up." Chloe stated, turning away to head back inside.

 _Screw it_ , Chicago thought to himself before grabbing Chloe's hand, turning her back around and pulling her into a searing kiss. One he'd been wanting to give her since the moment he met her.

Chloe was surprised by Chicago's move but quickly recovered, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him back. Their lips were connected for a long time, the kiss only breaking when they needed to catch their breath. A smile slowly spread across Chloe's face after their lips parted. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time," she whispered.

"I think you speak for both of us when you say that," Chicago said with a chuckle before he leaned back in and kissed her again, this time was more sweet and savory than the last. His hands rested on her waist and he smiled into the kiss.

Back in the kitchen, Beca was throwing away some empty beer bottles when she suddenly looked out the window and saw her best friend smooching Chloe. At first she chuckled, happy for Chicago. But as she continued to think about what she just saw, the more she dreaded seeing it. Seeing Chicago kiss Chloe seemed to spark something inside her, an emotion she wasn't super familiar with… jealousy. Why? As she thought about it more, Beca realized that she wished she was the one kissing that redhead and holding her body close instead of Chicago.

 **Don't kill us okay? We know that most of you don't Chloe and Chicago together, but trust us when we say it is necessary for our story. ANd Bechloe will rise, just like we said.**

 **Until Next Time**


	5. Chapter 5: This Can't Be Right

Chapter 5: This Can't Be Right

A few weeks had passed since the night of homecoming, and Chicago was out-of-this-world ecstatic. The football team was undefeated, he was getting straight A's in his classes, and most importantly he was dating the most beautiful girl in school. His life was perfect at the moment, and he hoped that it never faded away.

It was the football team's bye week this week, so Chicago was spending his Friday night with Chloe at her house. He showed up around six and knocked on the door. Chloe's parents were out, so it was going to be nice to have some alone time for the two of them since they didn't get that very often.

The door opened a few moments after Chicago knocked, and Chloe smiled when she saw her boyfriend standing outside. "Hey," she said, giving him a quick peck on the lips before taking his hand and leading him in the house. "I'm really glad you could come over tonight."

"Me too, I really wanted to spend some time with my girl," Chicago said before kissing her lips again when he took off his jacket as she lead him to the living room. "What did you want to do first?"

"Well, I figured that maybe we could find a movie or TV show to watch and then cuddle? Does that sound good?" Chloe asked him.

"That sounds perfect," Chicago answered, kissing her cheek before nuzzling her neck and placing a soft kiss on her neck as well. Chloe smiled and blushed at this then sat down on one of the couches in the living room, smiling wider when Chicago sat down next to her.

"So, do you have any ideas for what we should watch?" The redhead asked her boyfriend, grabbing the remote for the TV and turning it on.

"Ummm, I don't really know," Chicago said, putting his arm around her shoulder, softly tracing her arm with his strong hand. "How about _Stranger Things?_ I need to get caught up on the new season, I haven't started it yet."

"What? Oh my god, it's so good!" Chloe said, smiling and turning on Netflix. "We have to binge it tonight then."

"Alright, sounds good babe," He said, smiling and laughing at her enthusiasm.

Chloe found the first episode of the second season on Netflix and then set the remote down. "I'll order some pizza to be delivered here so we can have some food during our bingeathon," she said with a chuckle, taking her phone out of her pocket and calling the local pizza shop.

Chicago smiled at Chloe, just admiring her adorable smile, her contagious laugh, and her baby blue eyes that made Chicago's heart skip a beat. He pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over them so that they could keep warm. "So, where are your parents tonight?"

"My dad's going on a business trip to Vancouver for a couple days and my mom decided to go with him, so I have the house to myself for the weekend," Chloe replied, smiling and resting her head on Chicago's chest while the episode of _Stranger Things_ started to play.

"Ah, so they're going to be gone all weekend," Chicago said, smirking a little running his hand absentmindedly through his girlfriend's hair. "Maybe I should stay with you, in order to keep you safe from crazy people," he said, smiling and leaning down to kiss her forehead before putting his eyes back on the TV.

"Well, I don't think that there are any crazy people living in the neighborhood, but I appreciate you looking out for me," Chloe said with a cute giggle, sighing with happiness as Chicago continued to run his fingers through her hair.

They were about halfway through the first episode when the pizza got to the house. Chicago got out his wallet. "I got this one babe, don't worry," He said, kissing her cheek and heading to the door to get the pizza.

"Thanks, Chic," Chloe called after Chicago, smiling and pausing the episode so that he didn't miss anything. She then got up and grabbed some plates, bringing them back to the living room and putting them on the coffee table. "Mmm, that pizza sure smells good, doesn't it?"

"It does, it smells delicious," Chicago said as he sat down next to her and opened up the box. "I love pizza, it's probably my favorite food on earth," He stated with confidence.

"Yeah, I agree. Pizza is one of the best things to ever be created," Chloe said, opening the pizza box and putting some slices on a plate for Chicago before getting some slices for herself.

"Next to you," Chicago said, smiling. "I need to thank your parents for creating you as well," He said before taking a bit of pizza.

"Well then, I'll have to thank your parents for creating you as well," Chloe said, smiling and taking a bite out of her own slice of pizza.

"You're sweet," Chicago said before they pushed the play button on the remote.

After the first few episodes, Chicago and Chloe had decided to get into her family's hot tub and take a break from the show. Chicago went into the bathroom and changed into his swim trunks, smiling when he saw his abs and muscles. It really did help being on the football and the basketball teams. He then took a breath, knowing this would be the first time Chloe saw him shirtless, and the first time he would see Chloe in a bikini.

Chloe was already sitting in the hot tub when Chicago walked out, and the redhead smirked when she saw her boyfriend's abs. "Hey, you don't look too bad," she said as Chicago walked over and got into the hot tub with her.

"What?" Chicago said before he saw where Chloe's eyes were. "Oh yeah, uh thanks," He said in an awkwardly-but-cute manner. "You look…wow," he said, smiling as he walked over to the hot tub and set the towel down.

Chloe smiled and blushed a little at Chicago's compliment. "Thanks," she said, giggling when Chicago came and wrapped his arms around her from behind. Chicago smiled and pulled her down on onto his lap, placing a couple kisses on the back of her left shoulder.

"This is pretty nice," He murmured, place a trail of gentle kisses up to behind Chloe's ear. A place he knew was one of her biggest weak points after a few make out sessions.

Chloe closed her eyes as Chicago's lips began to trail over her skin, sighing with content as well. "Mmm, that feels nice, Chic," she murmured softly.

A small smile spread across his face, and nibbled softly on her earlobe before gently bring his hand up turn Chloe's face towards his. He then leaned in and kissed her lips softly. Chloe smiled and leaned into the kiss, running her fingers through Chicago's hair as she did so. "I love getting to kiss you," she murmured, leaning their foreheads together after their lips parted.

"You're an amazing kisser," Chicago said, smiling before leaning into kiss her again.

Next door, Beca was getting back from a gig. She slouched onto her bed and opened up her music book. Ever since homecoming, she felt like she got nervous around a certain redhead. But she didn't know why, which resulted in her once again being a pain in the ass towards Chloe. She looked over through her window and spotted Chloe and Chicago in a hot tub, making out as Chloe straddled his lap.

"Gross," Beca said, getting up to shut her blinds and rid herself of the sight. Once she closed her blinds, the brunette went back over to her bed and picked up her music book, opening it to a new page. She wanted to write a new song for the band to start working on, but she wasn't sure what to write about.

She sighed and put her book down for a moment, and went over to her keyboard, pressing the record button on her voice memo app. Beca began to play some notes to try and figure out a melody first. The brunette tried many different combinations of notes, just playing around on the keyboard like she often did for fun. Beca was playing a little melody when she stopped all of a sudden, a small smile appearing on her face. She played the melody a few more times and then grabbed her music book, writing down the notes she had just played.

"This is perfect," Beca said as played the melody a couple more times. She thought to herself what she could do next. This song was going to be a new kind of sound for her band, but she knew it work well. The brunette continued to record and write down the notes of the melody she had created before grabbing her music book and starting to brainstorm lyrics for the song.

The brunette closed her eyes and then just started to write on the paper. After a few minutes, she looked down at the lyrics she had written.

"You look so wonderful in your dress.

I love your hair like that.

The way it falls on the side of your neck

Down your shoulders and back.

We are surrounded by all of these lies

And people that talk too much.

You got the kind of look in your eyes

As if no one knows anything but us."

Beca nodded her head and continued to write the song as the night went on, smiling as the lyrics and melodies seemed to come to her effortlessly.

Back at Chloe's, she and Chicago were in the middle of a make out session on her bed in her room. Chicago was on top of her, running one hand up her leg while his other hand rested on her waist and his lips moved to her neck. "Mmm, Chicago," Chloe moaned softly, pushing his head down closer to her skin as he kissed along her neck. "That feels really good, baby. Keep doing that," she murmured.

Chicago whimpered softly as Chloe's hands tugged at her hair. He really enjoyed their makeout sessions, especially when they couldn't be interrupted by anyone or anything. He moved to kiss up behind Chloe's ear and sucked softly on the sensitive skin. His leg came up between her and softly began to grind against Chloe's crotch. The teenage boy knew what he was doing, that much was obvious due to the loud moan that escaped Chloe's mouth before he reconnected their lips.

Chloe hummed into the next kiss, cupping Chicago's face with her hands and sliding her tongue along his bottom lip. When he granted her request, the redhead's tongue slipped inside his mouth and began to explore. She moaned again as Chicago continued to grind his leg against her crotch, and she bit down on his bottom lip. "Shit, Chic," she muttered.

"You like that?" He whispered against her lips, a soft moan coming out of his lips her tongue went into his mouth. "Because I can do more than that if you want," He murmured, grinding a little harder.

"I'd like to see a little more of what you can do then," Chloe murmured back to Chicago, tugging at the ends of his hair as they kissed.

Chicago pulled back and smirked, he then tucked her hair back and kissed her lips. He tugged at the shirt she was borrowing from him. "You may want this off, babe. It's about to get hot in here," He whispered, kissing her roughly and moaning softly at the contact of their hips.

"How hot is it going to get?" Chloe asked, moaning as well when the grinding of their hips started to create friction between them.

"As hot as you want it to get, babe," Chicago whispered, beginning to unbutton her shirt slowly and smoothly as their kiss grew deeper and deeper. "Do you have protection?" He whispered, moving his lips to her chest.

"Yeah, there should be a box of condoms in the drawer over there," Chloe said, breaking the kiss so she could show Chicago where it was. As he went to get the box from the drawer, Chloe pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it onto the floor, laying down on the bed with a seductive smile on her face.

Chicago opened her drawer and saw the box of condoms, and he smiled before grabbing a couple before turning around and seeing Chloe on the bed. "Woah," he said, taking a deep breath before he walked over to her and kissed her lips, cupping her cheeks and using tongue as he helped her take off his own shirt.

After Chloe took off Chicago's shirt, she pulled him down into a passionate kiss. The redhead began fumbling with the button on Chicago's jeans, finally getting it to unbutton and then unzipping them. "You're sure you want this, right?" She asked as she pulled his jeans down.

The young teenage boy smiled and then leaned down to kiss Chloe's lips. It was full of want and full of passion, full of love. When Chicago pulled away he looked into her eyes. "There is nothing more that I want, Chloe. I want to show how I feel for you, in every way I know how," He said before laying her down on the bed and kissing her lips.

Chloe smiled into the kiss, feeling herself get more excited as the tension grew between them. "I want this too," she said, smiling and gazing up into his eyes. Then the tone of her voice got lower. "Make love to me, Chicago."

A smile grew across his face and he leaned down to kiss Chloe's lips. "This is going to be a fun weekend," he whispered before they got down to business.

About an hour or so later, Chicago and Chloe were laying in each others arms under the covers. Chloe was wearing Chicago's shirt and he had his arm around her. His other arm was draped over her side and he smiled at her as she lay there in his arms. "Thank you for that," he whispered, leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"Thank you for being an incredible boyfriend," Chloe murmured back, smiling as Chicago moved his lips to her neck and began peppering her skin with kisses. "Are you trying to get me going again?" The redhead asked, letting out a tired chuckle.

"Maybe, maybe not. Maybe I just like kissing you," He whispered, holding her body close to his. "Plus if we're going to be here all weekend, we don't want to use up all your condoms in one night," He whispered, smirking against the skin of her collarbone.

"Is there something you're trying to insinuate here?" Chloe said, smiling and giggling a little bit.

"Am I not welcome for the rest of the weekend?" Chicago said with a laugh before tickling her a little bit. "I'm only suggesting that if the rest of the nights this weekend are like tonight, we may want make sure we don't use all of the condoms. We already used two babe," He chuckled before kissing her lips.

"And who said that the rest of the nights this weekend are going to be like tonight?" Chloe said in a teasing voice. "I'm just kidding, Chic. After tonight, I'd say that you can expect the rest of the nights this weekend to be pretty similar to tonight," she murmured with a smirk.

Chicago just smiled and gazed into Chloe's eyes. "I'm glad I kissed you that night after homecoming," He whispered, tucking her hair back and stroking her cheek with his thumb gently.

"I'm glad you did that too. I'd wanted you to do that for a long time," Chloe whispered back, smiling and leaning their foreheads together.

"Well, I kissed you. And here we are, a month later." He smiled, tucking her hair back. "You know, Halloween is next week. We should look up some costume ideas for couples."

"Yeah, that would be really fun. Does someone usually have a Halloween party to celebrate?" Chloe asked.

"Stacie always throws the best halloween parties," Chicago mentioned with a smile. "There's always a big crowd at her parties because she's friends with almost everyone in the school."

"That sounds like it'll be fun. Does the couple who wears the best costumes get some sort of prize?" Chloe wondered aloud.

"There's no competitions, but I don't need validation from other people to know that we're the hottest couple in town," Chicago said with a smile.

"I guess you have a point there," Chloe said, her last few words cut off by a yawn. She closed her eyes, leaning back on the pillows of her bed and smiling. "I think I'm gonna try and fall asleep now," the redhead murmured softly in a cute voice.

"Same," Chicago said before turning to switch off her lamp. Then he wrapped his arms around Chloe, spooning her as he did so, making sure to hold her close. "Tonight was incredible babe," he whispered, kissing the back of her neck. "Goodnight, beautiful."

"Goodnight, Chic," Chloe murmured back to Chicago, turning her head and giving him one last kiss before she closed her eyes, falling into a peaceful and happy slumber.

That Monday, Beca burst into the music room after texting Benji and Jesse to meet her there. She had finally finished the song that she had started to write on Friday night, and she couldn't wait to show it to Jesse and Benjo. When she got to school, the brunette used the copy machine in the library to make copies of the sheet music for the drumming, keyboard, and guitar parts. "Guys, I finished a new song, we have to start practicing it," Beca said, excitedly. "It's something special, I know it is."

"Alright then, let's see what you got," Jesse said, taking the sheet music for the drums and looking at it. He started to read the lyrics, a smile spreading across his face. "Beca, did you write a love song?" He asked, his smile turning to a smirk. "Who did you write this song about?"

Benji, who was taking his seat at the keyboard (which he played from time to time) smiled when he too read the lyrics. "Yeah, I have the same question," He added.

"I don't know who I wrote it for, but the lyrics and melody just came to me," Beca said, grabbing one of the acoustic guitars that the school's music program provided. "But I just have a feeling about this song. Trust me," She said, smiling.

Towards the end of the school day, Chicago was walking down the hall with Chloe when his phone buzzed, alerting him of a new text message. "Who's that from?" Chloe asked as her boyfriend took his phone out.

"It's Beca," Chicago said. "She wants us to meet her in the music room. Apparently she wrote a new song and wants our little friend group to be the first people to listen to it."

"Oh, that's cool. When does she want us to meet her?" Chloe asked, smiling at Chicago.

"Now, actually. This song of hers must be pretty important," Chicago said, putting his phone back in his pocket and then taking one of Chloe's hands in his, intertwining their fingers.

"Well then, let's head over there. I always love listening to Beca's new music," Chloe said, smiling before they started to head to the music wing of the school.

Emily, Stacie, Cynthia Rose, and Aubrey had all gotten to the music room by the time Chloe and Chicago got there. "Hey guys, I'm glad you could make it. I'm really excited about this song," Beca said, grabbing guitar picks for herself and Benji.

"It's a love song," Jesse and Benji said at the same time, both still smirking as well.

"Shut up. It's not a love song," Beca said, rolling her eyes at her two bandmates.

"I think everyone here will agree it's a love song once they hear it," Benji said with a chuckle.

"Guys, just shut up and let's start playing," Beca said, trying to keep from blushing. "This one is called 'Tenerife Sea' in case you were wondering," she said before beginning to play guitar.

"Tenerife Sea"- Ed Sheeran

"You look so wonderful in that dress.

I love your hair like that.

The way falls down the side of your neck

Down your shoulders and back.

We are surrounded by all of these lies

And people who talk too much.

You've got that kind of look in your eyes

As if no one knows anything but us."

Benji and Jesse then joined in the harmonies for the next part of the song. Their voices melded perfectly together.

"Should this be the last thing I see,

I want you to know it's enough for me.

'Cause all that you are

Is all that I'll ever need.

I'm so in love, so in love.

I'm so in love, so in love."

The three of them stopped singing for a few moments, both Beca and Benji strumming their guitars while Jesse played a slow beat on the drums. Then, Beca and Benji began singing in harmony with each other for the next part of the song.

"You look so beautiful in this light,

Your silhouette over me.

The way it brings out the blue in your eyes

Is the Tenerife Sea.

And all of the voices surrounding us here,

They just fade out when you take a breath

Just say the word and I will disappear

Into the wilderness.

Should this be the last thing I see,

I want you to know it's enough for me.

'Cause all that you are

Is all that I'll ever need.

I'm so in love, so in love.

I'm so in love, so in love."

Chloe smiled as she watched and listened to Beca as she sang, the girl was absolutely one of the most talented people she'd ever met. If only the brunette weren't such a pain in the ass. Still, Chloe watched on in delight with the others, loving the song.

"Lumière, darling.

Lumière over me.

Lumière, darling.

Lumière over me.

Lumière, darling.

Lumière over me.

Should this be the last thing I see,

I want you to know it's enough for me.

'Cause all that you are is all that I'll ever need.

I'm so in love, so in love.

So in love, love, love, love.

I'm so in love.

You look so wonderful in your dress.

I love your hair like that.

And in a moment I knew you best."

At this moment in the song, Beca realized she'd been singing this song to Chloe the whole time. But why? She didn't like Chloe, not romantically. Right?

Beca wasn't the only person who noticed this. As a matter of fact, everyone else there except for Chloe and Chicago had realized that Beca was singing the song directly to Chloe. As the music was fading out, Stacie leaned over to Cynthia Rose, who was sitting next to her. "Is it just me, or was Beca serenading Chloe the entire time?"

As the rest of the crowd clapped Cynthia Rose nodded. "Yeah I kind of saw that too, that's a bit odd. I thought Beca hated Chloe," She said before clapping along with everyone else.

"Yeah, me too. I think we all thought she hated Chloe, but watching that proved me wrong," Stacie said, thinking about how Jesse and Benji had been teasing Beca earlier about this song being a love song. "Hey, CR, do you think it's possible that Beca wrote this song about Chloe?"

"I don't know, maybe she did," Cynthia said before shrugging her shoulders. "We don't want to assume anything though," She stated.

"So, what do you all think of the song?" Beca asked once she set her guitar down.

"Yeah, what do you guys think? Don't you agree with me and Benji about it being a love song?" Jesse said with a chuckle, earning a glare from Beca.

"It was definitely a love song," Chicago said chuckling and hugging his best friend. "But damn, it was really good you guys," He stated.

"It was most definitely not a love song, but I appreciate the feedback," Beca replied, hugging her best friend back.

"It was obviously a love song, Beca. Would you care to tell us as to who it's for or who inspired it?" Stacie asked the brunette, a smirk spreading across her face.

Beca glanced over at Chloe for a split second but then quickly shifted her gaze to the floor, shuffling her feet awkwardly. "I mean, it wasn't really inspired by a person. I was just feeling inspired on Friday night, so I wrote the song."

"Yeah okay," Jesse stated with a chuckle.

"We'll believe that for now," Chicago said before slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I gotta head to practice, but the song was great by the way," He patted Beca's shoulder before pecking Chloe's lips. "I'll call you later babe," He said before leaving the room.

Gradually, everyone started to leave the music room, going to practices or other extracurricular activities that they had after school. After awhile, the only people that were left were Beca, Benji, Jesse, Stacie, and Chloe. "Alright, we should probably pack up the instruments now I guess," Beca said, grabbing her guitar case.

"Yeah," Jesse said. He packed up his drum set with Stacie's help and Chloe helped Benji pack up the keyboard and his guitar while Beca put her guitar in its case.

Soon it was just Beca and Chloe since the others had to leave. Beca sat at one of the schools pianos, playing a simple melody when Chloe walked over and sat down next to her. Beca turned to look at the redhead. "Hey," she said smiling. "How was your weekend with Chicago?" She asked.

"It was great, actually," Chloe said, smiling as she recalled the events that took place over the weekend. "And how was your weekend?" The redhead asked, watching as Beca continued to play the piano.

"It was alright. I spent the whole weekend writing that song, so it was a long weekend," Beca said as she continued to play a simple melody she wrote a while back. "How is cheerleading going? Stacie said you guys have a competition coming up?"

"Yeah, we have a competition at the end of this week. I'm excited, but also a bit nervous. I've done sideline cheering before, but this is my first time doing competition cheer," Chloe said, tucking some of her red hair behind her ear.

"Well it's okay to be nervous, it gets your adrenaline pumping," Beca said, smiling. "I get a little nervous before every basketball game, and every show. But that little bit of nervousness keeps me alert."

Chloe nodded, reassured by Beca's words. "Yeah, you're right. It's just kinda hard though. With competition cheer, one little mistake can cause the whole routine to go wrong. I don't want to be the person that causes us to lose the competition."

"You won't be. I've seen you cheerlead, and you're really good. You won't screw it up," Beca reassured the redhead.

Chloe smiled softly at Beca's words and looked down. "That song you wrote was really good, by the way. I have no idea how you do it. You're so talented when it comes to music," Chloe said, looking back up at Beca.

"Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember," Beca said, taking her hands off the keys for a moment. "It's the one place I can leave everything else behind and not have a single worry in the world. It's my drug, and I'm never giving it up."

Chloe listened as Beca talked about her love for music, and the redhead couldn't help but smile more. "I can see why music is so helpful to you. It's helped me a lot as well," the redhead said. She paused for a few moments before continuing. "Chicago told me how you want to go to LA and pursue a career in music after graduation, but that your parents aren't supportive of your dream. I can't even begin to imagine how that feels," she said quietly.

"They just want me to think small, but that's never been who I am," Beca said, sighing and shrugging her shoulders. "I hate playing it safe, that won't get me anywhere. My parents haven't ever been to one of my shows because they think music is some hobby I'm going to grow out of."

"Still, it must be hard having them tell you that you won't be to achieve your dream. And even if they do tell you that, they're wrong. You're one of the most talented people I've ever seen, Beca. If anyone can make it in the music industry, it's you," Chloe said in a genuine voice.

"Thanks, I appreciate your honesty," Beca said before looking at the ground. "I just wish I could find some way to change their minds. Make them see that maybe I am being practical."

"You should try and get them to come to your next show. Maybe if they actually see you perform, they'll realize that your dream isn't far-fetched," Chloe suggested.

"Believe me, I've asked them to come a million times. They always make up some excuse as to why they can't come," Beca said, shaking her head. "If I had a dollar for every time they gave me a lame reason for that, I'd be a millionaire. I mean, I drive my little brother and sister to and from school every day, I have a job working at Dick's Sporting Goods four days a week, not to mention I pay for my own car, music, and sports equipment. I just don't get how they could think that going LA on my own isn't reasonable when I already pay for everything besides food by myself."

Chloe just shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know either. It sounds like you're pretty independent to me. Do they just not want you to go to LA, or do they want you to go to college somewhere instead?"

"They want me to go to college somewhere, and it's not that I'm against it," Beca said, biting her lip and shaking her head. "It's just that moving to LA and releasing my music to the world has been a dream of mine since I was seven years old," She chuckled.

Chloe nodded. "Honestly, it's your choice. I mean, it might not be as simple as that, but you're going to be an adult after graduation and you should be allowed to decide what you want to do with your life," she said.

"I hope they understand that soon," Beca said, running a hand through her own hair to get it out of her face. "So, you liked the song?"

"Yeah, I did. It's a bit different than the other ones you've written, but I like it," Chloe said, smiling at the brunette. "You just have this natural ability to make words fit together perfectly. I can't really describe it, but it's really cool."

"My first music teacher told me that I had this gift of mixing words together, even if that song was about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because I was only seven years old." She said with a chuckle. "But when I was writing this one, for some reason I had no trouble writing it at all. It just came to me, I guess."

"I wish I could write songs like you can. I wish I could just sit down, have inspiration come to me and write an amazing song," Chloe said with a chuckle.

"Have you ever tried to write a song before?" Beca asked, placing her hands back on the keys.

"I mean, I have tried to write a song. I've never actually finished one before. I would either just lose interest in the song or get distracted by something else before finishing it," Chloe answered.

"You just have to keep trying. Chicago told me that you're a really great piano player, so that means you already know the notes. You just have to stick with it until you think it's ready," Beca mentioned, smiling and beginning to play a couple chords on the piano. "I bet you could do it."

"Thanks, I'll keep trying," Chloe said, smiling. After watching Beca play for a moment longer, Chloe started talking again. "So, who was that song about?"

Beca froze, trying to think of how to answer Chloe's question. "Uh, I don't know. I mean that in the sense of the song could be about anyone. Hopefully I meet someone in the future that I fall in love with, and the song could be about them if that happens," the brunette finally answered. "That probably doesn't make any sense at all. It's just kinda hard to explain."

"No, I totally get that. It's like you're foreshadowing meeting the girl of your dreams, and picturing what loving her will be like." Chloe said, smiling at the brunette.

"Yeah, exactly," Beca said with a chuckle, smiling back at Chloe. She looked away from the redhead and to the piano keys, playing a little melody for a few moments before standing up from the piano bench. "I should probably get going. I've got to go home, get some homework done, and then head to work. It was nice talking to you for a little bit."

"Yeah, it was," Chloe said, smiling as she watched Beca stand up and grab her backpack and guitar case. "I'll see you tomorrow," she said, smiling before waving at Beca as the girl walked out.

"See ya later, Red," Beca said , waving before walking out of the music room. She then sighed to herself, a sigh of relief that is. For some reason, she'd felt nervous around Chloe that whole time. She didn't know why she had felt nervous, but Beca still felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

After Beca left, Chloe gathered up her things and headed out as well. She walked to the student parking lot which was near the football field, smiling when she looked out and could see Chicago and the rest of his teammates practicing on the football field. The redhead stood and watched the practice for a few minutes before walking over to her car. She too had felt a little nervous during that last conversation with Beca for some reason. Maybe it was because she rarely had a conversation with the brunette that didn't end in an argument. Chloe just took a deep breath and pushed those thoughts away as she drove to her house.

Once the redhead got home, she went inside and started her daily hour of piano practice. While she was playing, her mother walked into the room. "Hey Mom," Chloe said as she practiced a piece by Beethoven.

"Hi sweetheart, how was your day at school today?" Cindy asked, smiling as she listened to her daughter play the piano.

"Really good, I got an A plus on my AP English test today," She said smiling as her mom sat down with a mug of warm tea in her hand. "Mom, I have a question."

Cindy took a sip from her cup of tea and then set it down on one of the coasters on top of their coffee table. "What's your question?"

"You and Dad support whatever my dreams are, right?" Chloe asked, stopping the progression she was playing at the moment to turn and face her mother.

"Of course your father and I support your dreams, sweetie. What makes you think that we wouldn't?" Cindy asked her daughter.

"That's it, I know you will. It's just, there's this girl at my school. Her name is Beca and she's Chicago's best friend," Chloe explained, leaning against the wall. "She wants to go to LA and pursue her music dreams. They haven't even been to one of her shows because they thinks it's just a non important hobby. But her parents don't support her going there whatsoever, they don't support her dreams. And I don't understand why, she's so talented. She could make it."

Cindy nodded as she listened to Chloe speak, taking another sip of tea. "Well, it's a shame that they don't support her dreams, especially if she's as talented as you say she is. You do have to understand that as parents, they are looking at the situation from a different perspective. I know that your father and I both would be scared if you wanted to go to a big city without a real concrete plan for making a living. That being said, we would still support you and do whatever we could to help you."

"She's so talented mom, like the most talented person I've ever met," Chloe said, looking down. "And the most important people in her life won't support her. Shouldn't all parents want their kids to follow their dreams?"

"Yes, parents should want their kids to follow their dreams. However, that being said, some dreams that people have are very hard to achieve, and making it in the music industry is one of those. I'm not saying that it's okay for Beca's parents to be unsupportive of her, but maybe they're just trying to put things in perspective for her," Cindy said.

"They haven't even gone to one of her shows though, mom. How can they say she won't make it if they don't even go to a show to see for themselves?" Chloe asked.

Cindy shrugged her shoulders. "That part doesn't make sense to me, but I'm sure that Beca and her parents will figure something out. They probably just don't want to let go of her after graduation. That would be my guess as to why they don't want her going to LA."

Chloe nodded and then got back to playing for a little while longer, finishing her hour of practice. When she was about to leave she thought about what Beca had said to her earlier about trying to write her own music. "You just have to keep trying until you feel like the song is right." The words Beca said kept repeating themselves in Chloe's mind and the redhead continued to work on a song for another hour.

At the end of that hour, Chloe smiled as she looked at all she had accomplished. She had created a little melody, written down the notes of that melody, and had even gotten to brainstorming some lyrics. The redhead gathered up the sheet music and notebook paper into a folder and left it on the piano so she remembered to keep working on the song. Chloe didn't know what caused her to start working on a song all of a sudden; the inspiration just hit her out of the blue like Beca said it had for her.

She then headed up to her room and smiled when she saw Beca sitting by her bedroom window, playing some music she'd probably written. _Wow, she never really stops does she_? Chloe thought to herself. When Beca looked up, Chloe smiled softly and waved at the brunette. Beca smiled and waved back to Chloe before going back to playing around on her keyboard. She occasionally glanced at Chloe through the window, smiling softly whenever she caught the redhead already looking at her.

Beca chuckled at the redhead, unable to keep the smile off of her face. There was something about the redhead that intrigued Beca, something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. But whatever it was, it made it nearly impossible for Beca to get Chloe out of her head.

 **We know a lot of you people probably didn't enjoy the moments between Chloe and Chicago, but we did have a lot more Bechloe in this chapter. And like we said before, Chloe and Chicago dating is important to the story. So stick with us! We promise it'll be worth it.**

 **Until Next Time**


	6. Chapter 6: A Confession

Chapter 6: A Confession

"This is ridiculous. I haven't dressed up for Halloween since I was twelve," Beca said, groaning as Jesse and Benji dragged her through the parking lot of a costume shop. They were going to said costume shop to find outfits for Stacie's Halloween party that Saturday.

"Come on, Beca. Please just humor us and don't complain. You promised not to complain as long as we didn't make you wear a stupid costume to Stacie's party," Jesse reminded her.

"The thing is, all the costumes here are stupid. No matter what we pick out, it's going to be stupid. I can't believe I even agreed to this in the first place," Beca said, furrowing her eyebrows and crossing her arms.

"Come on, we'll find something that you like. I know we will," Benji said, pulling Beca into the costume shop. "Emily and I are going as Ellie Sattler and Alan Grant from _Jurassic Park_ ," He said excitedly.

Beca rolled her eyes at her friend's enthusiasm. "If you guys pick out a stupid costume for me, I'm just not gonna go to Stacie's party at all."

"Don't worry Beca, we'll find you something that you'll badass in," Jesse said, smiling at his friend and patting her shoulder. "Besides, you gotta look good for that mystery girl," He teased, nudging her.

"Oh, fuck off. There's no mystery girl, so don't get your panties in a twist," Beca said, showing Jesse the middle finger as they walked towards the shop.

They walked inside the costume shop and began to look around, walking down the aisles and seeing if anything interested them. "Hey Beca, why don't you go as a vampire?" Jesse suggested, showing her a costume that had a black cape and a set of fake vampire teeth.

"No. Vampires, werewolves and ghosts are off limits. That's way too cliche, and I am anything but cliche," Beca stated firmly, walking right past the vampire costume.

"Alright, something that's not cliche," Benji said, walking into the next aisle. "How about going as a mummy?" He suggested. The blank look that Beca gave him was all he needed for an answer. "Alright, the mummy costume is a no."

"We need to pick something that's not cliche, Benji," Jesse said, chuckling as they walked down the row of costumes.

It took them almost an hour and thirty minutes until they found the perfect costume. "Dude, what if you went as the badass female version of Indiana Jones? You always have loved those movies," Benji said, holding up the costume he'd found. "There's a bag and a whip and a hat included."

Beca took the costume from Benji and looked at it closely, a smile slowly spreading across her face as she did so. "This is perfect. I never would have thought of this on my own," she said with a chuckle.

"Dude, you're going to look smart and like a badass," Jesse said, smiling as she saw Beca's eyes light up while she looked at the costume. "Plus, you might get a couple girls' phone numbers, or get in their pants. Whatever your plan is for this year's party."

Beca chuckled and shook her head at Jesse's words. "Thanks, but I don't think I'm going to be trying to get into any girl's pants this year. I'm probably just gonna hang out with you guys and everyone else," she said.

Both Benji and Jesse feigned a gasp at those words. "I can't believe what I'm hearing. Beca Mitchell isn't going to try to get into a girl's pants at a party? Someone call CNN and tell them that they have their next headline," Benji jokes.

"You know what, this isn't really surprising," Jesse said, placing a hand on Benji's shoulder. "She's just going to try and impress the mystery girl," He stated before he and Benji turned to Beca with smirks on their faces.

Beca sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, shaking her head at the two boys. "You really aren't going to give up this mystery girl thing? I don't understand why you're so insistent on there being a mystery girl. There is no mystery girl, and that's the truth."

"I wonder if she invited the mystery girl to hear the song yesterday," Benji said, completely ignoring what Beca had just said.

"That is possible. Do you remember all the girls that were there?" Jesse asked.

"There was Aubrey, Stacie, Emily, Cynthia Rose and Chlo-" Benji said before Beca cut him off.

"There's no mystery girl!" Beca yelled, causing both Jesse and Benji to jump a little. "Can you two just drop it already? It's starting to piss me off!"

"Okay, sorry. We won't bring it up again," Jesse said, awkwardly shuffling his feet and looking at Benji out of the corner of his eye. Beca turned away and went to go try on her costume in the fitting rooms, leaving the two boys alone for a moment.

"Have you noticed that she kinda seems a little more on edge than usual lately? Is it because there actually is a girl Beca has feelings for?" Benji asked quietly.

Jesse shrugged his shoulders. "If there is a girl, I haven't heard anything about it. And it's pretty obvious that Beca doesn't want us to know about it if it's actually true."

Benji nodded his head and sighed. "It just felt like that song was about some girl, it didn't feel like just a song. I know that can be the case sometimes, but I didn't get that vibe with 'Tenerife Sea.' It felt too personal to not be about anyone in particular."

"Yeah, that song is different from every other song she's ever written. And we might be reading into it too much, but it certainly felt like that song was about someone," Jesse said.

"Let's just keep the conversation about it to a minimum. If it's about someone, we'll find out sooner or later," Benji stated, sitting down as they waited for Beca to finish trying on her costume.

A few minutes later, Beca came out of the fitting room with her costume on, smiling and striking a few poses. "So? What do you think of the costume?" She asked Benji and Jesse.

"You look like a total badass. You're going to kick ass and take names at this party," Jesse said, smiling at his friend. "Do you like it, Benji?"

"Yeah, I think it looks great. Girls will be throwing themselves at you left and right when they see you," Benji said with a smirk.

"Well, hopefully not too many," Beca said with a chuckle. "I kind of just want to hang out with my friends this year."

"I'm not buying it, but if you say so," Jesse said, chuckling along with his friend. "I can't remember the last time you didn't want girls throwing themselves at you."

"It's our senior year, Jess," Beca stated genuinely. "As much as I love hooking up at parties, this is our last year together before we go our separate ways. I want to spend as much of it with my friends as I can."

"Dude, are you sure you're okay? Now you're suddenly being sentimental. I think we should take you to the doctor and see if anything's wrong," Jesse said in a teasing voice.

"I'm not allergic to feelings," Beca said, rolling her eyes at the boy. "Let's get out of here. I need to pay for this costume." The brunette changed out of the costume and then paid for it before they left the costume shop.

"So, where should we go next? Do you want to go back to my house and rehearse some songs? Stacie asked us to play at her party for a few hours," Jesse said as they walked through the parking lot.

"Sure. She gave me a list of songs of ours that she wants us to perform," Beca said, climbing into Jesse's passenger seat while Benji climbed in the back.

"Alright, cool. What songs did she ask us to play?" Jesse asked, turning on the car and pulling out of the parking lot.

"Let me check," Beca said before pulling out her phone and seeing the text from Stacie. She then read them aloud. "'Locked Out of Heaven,' 'Paris,' 'Can't Stop The Feeling,' 'Breakaway,' and 'The Night We Met' are the ones Stacie has sent me so far. She said she'd send more recommendations soon."

"Sounds good. We wouldn't have any of these great songs to perform if it weren't for you," Jesse said to Beca with a smile on his face. "You can definitely become a songwriter with the talent that you have," he added.

"Tell that to my parents," Beca said with an eye roll. She then took out her phone and opened Snapchat. Her heart ached a little when she saw a video on Chicago's story of him kissing Chloe's cheek with the caption 'My Girl' and a heart emoji. This made Beca close the app and turn off her phone. "Jesse, have you had the courage to ask out Aubrey yet?"

Jesse shook his head. "Nope, I haven't yet. I'll do it at some point. I just have to work up the courage to do it. I mean, what if I've been reading everything wrong and she rejects me?"

"She seemed pretty smitten with you at homecoming," Beca mentioned, shrugging her shoulders. "You never know until you ask."

"Maybe I'll ask her out at the Halloween party. I'm just not very good with this kind of stuff. I've only had one girlfriend, and that was in eighth grade so that doesn't count," Jesse said, keeping his hands on the steering wheel and his eyes on the road ahead.

"I remember that," Benji said with a chuckle. "Jane Collins. You two were together for all of two weeks."

Jesse groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. "Please, don't remind me," he said, unable to keep himself from chuckling as well. "If I do remember correctly, you dated someone for a whole day before you got together with Emily."

"Yes I did, but at least I had the courage to ask out the girl I like, and now we've been dating for a year," Benji mentioned, smirking at his best friend.

"Yeah Jess, you can't really argue with Benji on that one. When it comes to girls, he has the balls to ask them out if he likes them. And now he's Emily's boyfriend," Beca said, chuckling at look on Jesse's face.

Jesse rolled his eyes at his two friends. "You know what? I will ask Aubrey out, just to prove to you guys that I do have the balls to do it," he said.

"Well, the main reason you should ask her out is because you like her," Beca teased smirking at her best friend.

"Well, duh," Jesse said, chuckling along with Beca. "I wouldn't ask her out just to prove a point to you and Benji."

"I think you can do it buddy, you just have to be brave," Benji said, smiling and patting Jesse's shoulder from the back seat.

Once they reached Jesse's home, they set up their band stuff in his garage. Sometimes on the weekends they would practice there since the school wasn't open for their use. Just then Beca got an incoming text from Stacie. "Hey guys, here are some more songs Stacie thinks we should perform: 'The Song That Everyone Sings,' 'This Is The New Year,' 'The Remedy,' 'Why Georgia,' and 'Fast Car," She said. "Those and the others I named off are the ones we need to work," She then got another. "'My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark,' and then 'I Write Sins Not Tragedies."

"Stacie's picking out some good songs, that's for sure," Jesse said.

Beca put her phone back in her pocket once Stacie stopped texting her and grabbed her guitar, walking over and plugging it into one of the amps. "We've got a lot of songs to practice, so let's get to it," the brunette said, grabbing her guitar pick.

"You know they wouldn't be songs if it weren't for you," Jesse mentioned.

"Yeah I do, so let's get practicing," Beca said, smiling.

Meanwhile Chloe was just getting out of the locker room after showering because of cheerleading practice when she felt two strong and familiar arms wrap around her from behind. "Guess who?" Chicago said, kissing her cheek.

"Hmm, I don't think I know who it is. Could you give me a hint?" Chloe said with a cute giggle before turning around and hugging Chicago. "How was football practice? You've only got a few more games before the playoffs if I remember correctly."

"Yeah, we've got three games left. Two of those games are home games," Chicago said, smiling before placing his hands on her waist and pecking her lips. "I actually wanted to talk to you about the party this weekend," He said once they pulled back from the kiss. "What should we go as?"

Chloe shrugged her shoulders. "I've spent some time looking up ideas for costumes online, but none of them really got my attention. Do you have any ideas?" She asked.

"This may seem really nerdy, but I was think we could go as Han Solo and Princess Leia, or maybe Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley," Chicago said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, that is really nerdy," Chloe said, laughing along with Chicago. "But I think those are great ideas. And of course, we'll be adorable as always."

"If you think of something else you'd rather be we can do that too, those were just a couple of ideas that I had," He said, smiling as they walked down the hallway. "Beca told me 'Trio' will be performing at the party this weekend."

"Yeah, I figured that they'd be performing. It seems like they perform at every party and school event," Chloe said with a laugh, holding one of Chicago's hands in hers as they walked together.

"Well, they're really good," Chicago said. "I remember they first performed at the freshman Valentine's Day dance. It was the beginning of an era."

"Wait, they've been a band since freshman year? I didn't realize that they'd been performing together that long. I thought they'd started like last year or something," Chloe said.

"They wouldn't have become so big if they'd just started last year," Chicago said, shaking his head. "No, Beca put up a sign up sheet at the beginning of the year saying that she was having auditions for a band. Benji, Luke, and Jesse all signed up. They practiced for months before actually getting a gig. Since that dance, they've become one of the biggest bands in Southern Seattle," He said, proud of his friends.

"Wow, that's pretty impressive," Chloe said with a smile. "No wonder they're so popular here at school. They're basically rockstars."

"You could say that," Chicago said, putting his arm around her shoulder. He kissed her cheek. "Is Beca being nicer to you?"

"Yeah, she actually has been nicer to me lately. I mean, I wouldn't consider us to be best friends, but we're making progress," Chloe said, smiling when Chicago put his arm around her shoulder.

"Good, otherwise I was going to have to have a talk with her about her behavior in front of my girlfriend," Chicago said before walking out to her car. "I think we should go as Han and Leia. Don't you?"

Chloe nodded and smiled. "Yeah, that sounds perfect," They reached her car soon, and Chloe put her stuff in the trunk of her car before turning to Chicago and giving him a sweet kiss on the lips. "Thanks for walking me out to my car," she murmured.

"You're welcome," Chicago said, smiling and kissing her sweetly on the cheek. "Hey, maybe there's some way you convince your folks to let you stay the night at Stacie's, but then stay the night at my place."

Chloe chuckled a little and raised an eyebrow at Chicago. "Oh really? And why do you suggest I do that?" She said, a small smirk spreading across her face.

"Well, it's my mom's birthday, and my dad is taking her on a weekend trip up to Vancouver. I have the place to myself from early Saturday to later Monday night, and I thought maybe you and I could have some alone time. I'll even make you brunch on Sunday," Chicago said, smiling softly at her.

Chloe smiled back at Chicago. "That's really sweet of you," she said, leaning in and pecking him on the lips. "I'll talk to my parents and see if I can convince them," she said, leaning their foreheads together.

"Great, because I really enjoyed what happened over the weekend and I'd like to do it again with you. Of course that's not the only reason why I want you to come over, I just want to spend time with you," He said, smiling and blushing a little bit before looking at the ground.

"And I want to spend time with you too," Chloe said, smiling when Chicago blushed. "You're my favorite person to spend time with, actually."

"And you're mine, but don't tell Beca," Chicago said with a chuckle before kissing her one more time. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"Sounds good. I'll talk to you later," Chloe said, smiling at her boyfriend before she unlocked her car and sat down in the driver's seat.

Jesse was dropping Beca off back at her house just when Chloe was arriving. He noticed the way that Beca seemed to tense up when she saw the redhead, fiddling with her fingers rapidly; and then it hit him, it hit him like a truck hits a brick wall. The song wasn't just about any girl, it was about Chloe. "Dude! You like Chloe! She's that mystery girl!"

"I don't know how many times I've already told you this, but there is no mystery girl," Beca said, looking down and running her fingers through her hair. "Can you please stop bringing it up?"

Jesse stopped the car and put it in park. "Beca, you're one of my closest friends. You can tell me if it's true or not. Is Chloe the mystery girl?"

"No! For the last fucking time Jesse, the mystery girl doesn't exist! Alright?" Beca said, grabbing her school bag. "And even if I did like her in that way, and I'm not saying I do, because I don't. She's my best friend's girlfriend. Can't you see how wrong that is? Significant others of best friends are off limits, now drop it," She stated before getting out of the car and slamming the door behind her.

Chloe saw Beca and waved at her, smiling happily at the girl. "Hey, Beca! How are you?"

"Fantastic," Beca said sarcastically, "Now leave me alone," She growled before walking straight through her front lawn and up the deck into her house, slamming a door for the second time in under thirty seconds.

Chloe frowned a little as she watched Beca storm off into her house. "Looks like someone's in a bad mood," the redhead said to herself, opening the trunk of her car and grabbing her stuff out of it.

Before the young boy left, Jesse got out of his car and went to help Chloe with her school stuff. "Hey, let me help you with that," He said, grabbing her cheerleading bag.

"Do you know what's up with Beca?" Chloe asked.

Jesse didn't want to lie to Chloe, but he also didn't want to tell Chloe the reason that Beca was upset, especially if the brunette actually had a crush on the redhead. "Uh, I don't know. Sometimes she's just in a bad mood for no reason. I do know that her parents have been getting on her nerves lately."

"Oh yeah. She told me about that whole situation. It really sucks," Chloe said as she grabbed her backpack and walked with Jesse to her front door. "I hope that her parents come around soon."

Jesse nodded in agreement. "Yeah, me too. I'm not sure if they will, though. They're pretty stubborn, and they won't give in easily. We just have to hope that everything works out for Beca in the end. If not, she'll probably buy her own plane ticket and fly to LA herself," He said with a short laugh.

"You know, I feel like I know her well enough by now to know that is something she would probably do," Chloe said before setting her backpack down. "Thanks for helping me with my cheerleading bag Jesse," She said.

"Oh, it's no problem," Jesse stated.

"If you don't mind my asking, this whole school is pretty sporty. Do you play any sports?" Chloe asked.

"Baseball," He answered. "I've been on the junior varsity team for the last two years, but a bunch of players graduated last year so hopefully I'll be able to make the varsity squad."

"I bet you can," Chloe said, smiling. "I'll see you at school tomorrow," She stated before going back inside.

Jesse nodded and headed back to his car. He drove home, and once he did he called Beca. It was a few seconds before she answered. "Hey, I'm sorry about what I said earlier, buddy."

"Yeah, sure you are. You're just going to ask about the nonexistent mystery girl when I see you tomorrow," Beca replied with an annoyed voice.

"No really, I'm sorry. I took it too far and I shouldn't have, and I won't bring it up again. I promise," Jesse said, staring up at the ceiling of his bedroom. "I just got excited for you is all. After everything that happened with 'you-know-who' a couple years ago, the thought of there being someone in your life made me happy. And you deserve to be happy more than anyone I know, man."

Beca smiled a little at those words. "Thanks, Jess. I appreciate it. I got upset because you and Benji have been talking about it so much, and I just got tired of hearing about it. That's all."

"Yeah, I understand," Jesse said, scratching his head. "I'll make sure not to bring it up again."

After a moment of silence between the two friends, Beca sighed to herself and then spoke again. "Jesse, I have to tell you something. But you can't tell anyone. Not Benji, not Aubrey, not Stacie. No one. Especially not Chicago."

Jesse had a feeling that he knew what Beca was about to tell him, but he didn't say anything about it. "Yeah? What is it, Beca?" He asked.

"There is a mystery girl. I realized that when we performed 'Tenerife Sea' the other day for everyone." Beca said before taking a deep breath. Was she really about to do this? Was she really going admit that there was a girl she couldn't get out of her head? Once she said it, it'll be out there. Of course, Beca trusted Jesse to keep a secret. He always kept his promises. "I think I have feelings for Chloe."

 **So... Beca just told Jesse she doesn't just have feelings for a girl, she has feelings for her best friends girlfriend. A girl she cannot avoid so easily because Chloe is her neighbor.**

 **Until Next Time**


	7. Chapter 7: Halloween

Chapter 7: Halloween

"So you have feelings for your best friend's girlfriend?" Jesse said, scratching his head some more and sitting up on his bed. "When do you think you started to have feelings for her?"

"I don't know, Jess. Can you blame me though? She's the hottest girl at Hartford," Beca said with a sigh. She closed her eyes, pausing for a moment before speaking again. "I can't help but feel really bad about this, because I know how happy Chicago is now that Chloe is his girlfriend."

Jesse sighed, honestly having no idea what he was supposed to say at a time like this. "So, what are you going to do about it?" He asked. "I mean, as much as I'd love to see you be happy, Chicago is a good guy. Not to mention your best friend, and I know you wouldn't ever do anything to hurt him."

"Yeah, I'd never do something that would hurt Chicago. Like I said earlier, significant others of best friends are off-limits. I just don't know what to do, because being around them is going to get more and more awkward every day if I do nothing at all," Beca said, groaning and covering her face with her hand. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

"If it helps, during the party I'll bring you shots of tequila or something strong whenever you see them do something coupley," Jesse offered, trying to make the situation a little more lighthearted.

"I'll hold you to that,"Beca said with a chuckle. "It's hard being around them when they act super coupley because it hurts me inside, but I have to act like I'm happy for them on the outside. If that makes any sense at all."

"I hear you," Jesse said.

"I just don't get why out of all people, it had to be Chicago's girl that I have feelings for," Beca said, shaking her head. "The straight girl, I fell for the straight girl. A girl who won't ever like me back. It fucking sucks."

"I'm sorry, Bec. That must be tough," Jesse said sympathetically. "If it helps, there are still plenty of other girls out there that would be happy to be with you. Maybe a distraction from Chloe will help you."

"Yeah, maybe. But I wouldn't be happy," Beca said, sighing. "Plus, as much as I love hooking up with girls from time to time, I don't want to lead a girl on to believe that there is something serious going on between us. That would be cruel."

"Yeah, I agree. Leading someone on is a really shitty thing to do," Jesse said, pausing to try and think of other things that could help Beca. "I don't know what else to suggest, man. I haven't really been in your situation before."

"I'll just get really drunk at the party, that should at least take off the edge a little bit," Beca said, sighing. "I just wish that I didn't have these feelings. The last time I had feelings like this for a girl, I ended up getting my heart broken."

"I'm sorry, buddy. I wish there was more I could do to help," Jesse said apologetically. "Let me know if there's anything I can do, okay?"

"Will do, see ya tomorrow Jess," Beca said before hanging up the phone and laying back down on her bed. She then stood up and walked over to her window, where she saw Chloe working on her homework. A small smile spread across Beca's face as she watched the girl. But then it faded. How could she like her best friends girl? This was wrong on every level. Of all people, Chloe. Yes she was beautiful, the most beautiful girl in the school. And yes she was talented. But what set her apart from every other pretty girl there?

Beca watched the redhead for a few more moments before walking back over to her bed, sitting down and sighing. She ran her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes. She didn't mean to develop feelings for Chloe. In fact, if she could've chosen who she would have feelings for, she most definitely wouldn't have chosen a straight girl. But of course, Beca's life had to always be complicated and difficult.

The next few days were absolute torture, and Beca couldn't wait to get to the weekend. Then she could let her hair down, dress like a badass, rock out, and get super drunk with her best friends. That was her plan for Saturday night, and Saturday night couldn't get here fast enough.

Chloe was also looking forward to Stacie's Halloween party on Saturday night. She had gone with Chicago after their practices ended to get their Han Solo and Princess Leia costumes, and Chloe couldn't wait to go with her boyfriend to the party. "I'm telling you, Chic, we're going to have the best costumes at this party. I guarantee it," Chloe said to Chicago, who she was FaceTiming while working on some homework.

"I know, and you're going to look really hot in your Princess Leia costume," Chicago said, smiling at how excited his girlfriend was. "What time do you want me to pick you up for the party tomorrow night?" He asked.

"Well, the party starts around 8:30, so do you want to pick me up around 8:00? Or you could pick me up earlier and we could hang out for awhile before the party," Chloe said.

"I'll see what I can do," Chicago said, smiling and winking at Chloe. "I can't wait to see you in that costume tomorrow," He said, smiling to himself. "Did your parents agree to let you 'stay over at Stacie's?'" He asked with a devious smile.

"Yeah, they did agree to let me spend the night at Stacie's. I'm really looking forward to it," Chloe said, giggling and winking at Chicago. "I do have cheer practice for an upcoming competition on Sunday afternoon, though."

"That's okay. We can spend a late Saturday night and Sunday morning together. Does that sound good to you babe?" He asked with a gentle smile as he flopped down onto his bed.

"That sounds perfect to me, babe," Chloe said, smiling at her boyfriend. "I can't imagine anything that sounds better than that," she added.

"Alright, I'll see you tonight after the game," He said, blowing a kiss to her before they said goodbye.

Saturday came and Beca was setting up the stuff for the band on Stacie's back porch, which was perfect to perform on because the backyard was big enough to fit a hundred people or so. She was currently setting up the speakers while Jesse set up his drums. A few minutes later, Benji arrived and helped Beca with setting up the speakers before they plugged their guitars into the amps and began to warm up for their performance later that evening.

Chloe and Chicago got to the party at around 9:00, and by that time there was already a good number of people there. "Chloe! Chicago! I'm so glad that you two could make it!" Stacie said excitedly when she saw them. "Let me just say, I absolutely love your costumes! You two are so cute together!" She squealed.

"Thanks Stacie, you make a sexy nurse," Chloe said with a chuckle as she walked in the costume Princess Leia wore on the moon of Endor.

"Refreshments are in the kitchen and so is the pizza,"Stacie said, smiling. "And 'Trio' is going to start at 10:30 once everyone gets here," She then stepped aside, letting them into the house.

"Alright, cool. Thanks for having us," Chicago said, smiling as he and Chloe walked inside the house. They went to the kitchen, each grabbing a slice of pizza and a drink. "So, do you see any other costumes that could potentially top ours?" He asked Chloe as they sat down on one of the couches in the living room.

"Emily and Benji look really cute as Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler from _Jurassic Park_ ," She then spotted Beca setting up the microphone stand in her _Indiana Jones_ costume. "And Beca looks awesome the female version of Indiana Jones. It looks like everyone is going back in time with their costumes," She said with a chuckle.

"Wow, Beca never dresses up," Chicago said, smiling at his best friend and waving.

Beca looked up and saw Chicago waving over at her. She smiled a little and waved back before continuing to work on setting up the microphone. As soon as Chicago looked away from her and back to Chloe, the smile disappeared from the brunette's face and was replaced with a scowl. She honestly couldn't wait for the show to be over so she could get shitface drunk.

"If you want something to drink tonight, babe, feel free. Since I got us an Uber, neither one of us has to stay sober," Chicago said, chuckling.

"Hmm, interesting. Are you turning into a bad boy, Mr. Solo?" Chloe said, raising her eyebrows at her boyfriend.

"No, I'm just taking precautions in case we both get drunk," Chicago replied with a chuckle. "So, if you think about it, I'm not turning into a 'bad boy.'"

"Still, I didn't peg you for a drinker," Chloe said, smiling at her boyfriend. "But it's really sweet and kinda sexy that you're making sure we drink responsibly," She said with a wink. "But isn't Han Solo sort of a bad boy?"

"You do have a point there, babe. Han is a bad boy, but I wouldn't consider myself to be one. That is, unless you find bad boys attractive," Chicago said, smirking a little at Chloe.

Chloe blushed and bit her lip. She then leaned in and whispered in his ear. "I like bad boys in bed," She whispered, softly nibbling on his earlobe before pulling away to get herself a drink.

Chicago smirked as he watched Chloe get up and walk away to get herself a drink. He then saw Beca walking through the room, so he decided to talk to her for a few minutes. "Hey! Beca!" He called out to the brunette to get her attention.

"Hey, Chic. You and Chloe look like quite the galactic couple," Beca said, smiling the best she could when she saw their costumes.

"And you look like quite the heroine and historian," Chicago replied, smiling back at Beca. "You really look great in that costume, Beca. I'm impressed."

"Well, _Indiana Jones_ is one of the few movies I've watched more than once. So I thought, why not put a female twist on it?" Beca said, smiling as she poured herself a drink. "By the way, we're playing your favorite song of ours tonight, Mr. Solo."

"Oh really, Ms. Jones? And what might that song happen to be?" Chicago asked, pouring a drink for himself after Beca finished pouring hers.

"Just think of sins, not tragedies," Beca said with a wink before turning to Chloe, who had just joined them. "Hey Princess, how are your plans for taking down the empire going?" She asked.

"The plans are going pretty well, actually. We're still outnumbered by a lot, but I think we have a chance," Chloe replied with a smile then taking a sip of her drink.

"I find it pretty funny that your boyfriend and I dressed up as the same person in different movies," Beca chuckled before taking a sip of her beer. "Anyways, the show starts in an hour. You guys better be in the audience."

"You can count on it. We'll be in the front row cheering you on," Chicago said, putting a hand on Beca's shoulder and taking a sip of his own drink.

Beca smiled and then patted her best friends shoulder before sipping her own drink. "You guys have fun tonight. Don't get too drunk," She said, chuckling before nodding to Chloe and smiling softly. "I hope you both enjoy the show."

"We definitely will enjoy the show. I know for a fact that you and your band are going to bring down the house like always," Chloe said, smiling back at Beca.

The brunette tried to hide her blush as much as she could. "Thanks, I'll see you two later," She said, smiling.

An hour or so later, everyone who was at the party came out back when it was announced 'Trio' would be performing. Beca began playing the opening part to 'I Write Sins, Not Tragedies.' Beca began to sing and the crowd went a wild when they recognized the song. And Chicago was the loudest.

"I Write Sins Not Tragedies"- Panic! At The Disco

"Oh, well imagine

As I'm pacing the pews in a church corridor

And I can't help but to hear

No, I can't help but to hear an exchanging of words.

'What a beautiful wedding!

What a beautiful wedding!' says a bridesmaid to a waiter

'And yes, but what a shame, what a shame

The poor groom's bride is a WHORE.

I chime in with a

'Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?'

No, it's much better to face these kinds of things

With a sense of poise and rationality.

I chimed in

"Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?'

No, it's much better to face these kinds of things

With a sense of…"

Beca and Benji then played some chords on their guitars while Jesse played a fast beat on the drums, getting the crowd pumped up before going into the second verse.

"Well, in fact.

Well, I'll look at it this way.

I mean technically our marriage is saved.

Well this calls for a toast, so pour the champagne.

Well, in fact.

Well, I'll look at it this way.

I mean technically our marriage is saved.

Well this calls for a toast, so pour the champagne

Pour the champagne."

The crowd cheered and rocked out with band, jumping and singing along if they knew the words. Chloe, again was watching Beca. The redhead was in awe of the girls insane amount of musical talent. She then looked at her boyfriend, who knew every single word to this song. This must of been the one Beca was talking about that was his favorite.

She then smiled at him before she looked back up and continued to dance at the songs upbeat rhythm and tempo.

"I chime in with a

'Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?'

No, it's much better to face these kinds of things

With a sense of poise and rationality.

I chimed in

"Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?'

No, it's much better to face these kinds of things

With a sense of poise and rationality.

Again, I chime in with a

'Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?'

No, it's much better to face these kinds of things

With a sense of poise and rationality.

I chimed in

"Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?'

No, it's much better to face these kinds of things

With a sense of poise and rationality.

Again."

Once the song was finished, the crowd went wild in applause and cheers before Beca began to speak. "How is everyone here tonight?" She was met with cheers and screams from the at least one hundred people standing in the crowd. "Well, happy Halloween everyone! I just want to say a quick thanks to Stacie for letting us pay here tonight. She's the best. We're 'Trio' and tip in the form of dollar bills are appreciated," Beca said with a chuckle. She, Benji, and Jesse then began to start playing the next song. This one was also easy to dance to, and the crowd was into it before Beca even started singing.

"Locked Out of Heaven"- Bruno Mars

"Oh, yeah-yeah.

Oh, yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah.

Oh, yeah-yeah.

Oh, yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah.

Never had much faith in love or miracles.

Never wanna put my heart on deny.

But swimming in your world is something spiritual.

I'm born again every time you spend the night.

'Cause your sex takes me to paradise.

Yeah, your sex takes me to paradise.

And it shows, yeah, yeah, yeah.

'Cause you make feel like

I've been locked out of Heaven

For too long, for too long."

This song, along with "I Write Sins Not Tragedies," was one of the band's more popular, so the crowd was singing along as all three members of the band harmonized for the chorus. Then, Beca and Benji went into a harmony for the second verse of the song.

"You bring me to my knees.

You make me testify.

You can make a sinner change his ways.

Open up your gates 'cause I can't wait to see the light.

And right there is where I wanna stay.

'Cause your sex takes me to paradise.

Yeah your sex takes me to paradise.

And it shows, yeah, yeah, yeah.

'Cause you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven

For too long, for too long.

Yeah you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven  
For too long, for too long."

The crowd was going crazy and was jumping up and down with the song. It was amazing how many people actually knew the lyrics. Chicago wrapped his arms around Chloe from behind and kissed her neck during the song. When Beca saw this, her heart hurt a little but she continued to sing.

"Oh, yeah, can I just stay here?

Spend the rest of my days here.  
Oh, yeah, can I just stay here?

Spend the rest of my days here.

'Cause you make feel like I've been locked out of Heaven  
For too long, for too long.  
Yeah, you make feel like I've been locked out of Heaven  
For too long, for too long.

Oh, yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah  
Oh, yeah-yeah  
Oh, yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah."

The crowd cheered twice as loud as they had been before when the second song finished. "You guys liked that one, right?" Beca said into the microphone, getting another cheer from the crowd. "Alright, good. I'm gonna go a little off the script here and let you guys decide what song we play next. So, what song do you guys want to hear?" The people in the crowd immediately began to yell out the names of different songs, making Beca chuckle. "I can't hear you all once, guys,"The band ended up playing for another hour, the music being switched over to one of Stacie's Spotify playlists after their performance.

Beca and Jesse were standing in the kitchen and eating some pizza. Beca took a sip out of her bottle of beer. "We killed it tonight buddy," Jesse said, clinking his bottle with hers.

"You bet we did. I'd say that's one of the better shows we've done. The crowd was super pumped, but then again they always are," Beca said, smiling and clinking her bottle with Jesse's. "Are you going to ask Aubrey out soon? Some guy is hitting on her so you may miss your chance," She stated, pointing with her free hand over to the dining room area where Aubrey was dancing with some random guy dressed as a Thor from _Ragnarok_. "You better get moving on that."

Jesse looked over to where Beca was pointing and frowned. "Why is she dancing with him? That guy looks like a total loser," Jesse said. "His costume is lame, too."

"Jesse, let's be honest. That's definitely something you would wear," Beca said, chuckling and shaking her head at her friend.

"Maybe, but that's not the point. Why would she dance with a guy like him?" Jesse said, taking a shot of tequila.

"I don't know, maybe he just is brave enough to make a move," Beca said, sipping her beer. "If I were you, I'd swoop in soon. Otherwise you'll be losing her to a dimwitted Norse god."

"I'm not gonna let that happen, not if I can help it," Jesse said, finishing his beer and then handing the empty bottle to Beca. "Hold my beer while I go get my girl," he said to her before walking across the room towards Aubrey.

Beca smiled at his friend as he went on his mission to get his girl. "Go get her, buddy," She called after him be taking a bite of pizza. Chloe then walked past her, heading to the kitchen to get a slice of pizza. "Oh Chloe, hey," Beca said with a smile and a little wave.

"Hey Beca," Chloe said, returning the smile. She grabbed the slice of pizza and then rejoined Beca in the next room. "You and Benji and Jesse were great tonight, by the way. You guys are so good. I don't even know how it's possible."

"Lots of practice," Beca said with a chuckle, taking a bit of pizza before sitting down on the couch. "I'm glad that you enjoyed the show. Did you have a favorite song?" She asked.

"Are you really going to make me pick between all those amazing songs?" Chloe asked with a laugh. She then thought about Beca's question for a few minutes before coming up with an answer. "Well, I liked all the songs, but I'd say that my favorite was probably 'Locked Out of Heaven.'"

Beca feigned a gasp. "You dirty little bird!" She said before laughing a little with Chloe. "That's one of my favorites too," She admitted.

"Look who's the dirty little bird now," Chloe said, chuckling at Beca. "I like that song because it's really catchy. It's one of those songs that's catchy but not to the point where it gets stuck in your head and is annoying."

"Yeah, I have to admit it gets stuck in my head sometimes," Beca said, nodding her head. "I don't know which one that's my favorite though. There are too many that I love," She smiled to herself. "There are some I've written that I haven't even shown to Benji or Jesse that are some of my favorite."

Chloe raised an eyebrow at Beca's last sentence. "Really? Why haven't you shown those songs to them?" The redhead asked.

"I don't know, some of them are really personal. I guess that's why, but some of those songs are my favorites. And one day I'll share them, but for now they're just for me," Beca said, scratching her head a little bit. She then saw the piano room was vacant and an idea popped into her head. "If you promise not to tell anyone, I'll play one of those songs for you now."

"I mean, I'd love to hear those songs, but I don't want to make you share them if you don't want to. If the songs are too personal, I totally understand if you don't want to play them for me," Chloe said in a genuine voice.

"It's really okay, they're going to be heard someday. Wouldn't you like to be the first?" Beca asked. "There are plenty of other fans at this party that would die to hear it, and one of them is your boyfriend Han Solo," She said, chuckling. She then finished her beer and held out her hand. "You coming?"

Chloe nodded and took Beca's hand, following her to the piano room. The redhead closed the door behind her after she walked inside, leaving it open just a little bit. She then went and sat down on the piano bench next to Beca, who already had her fingers on the keys. "What song are you going to play for me?"

"It's called 'Mercy,'" Beca said, looking down on the keys. "I'll tell you more about it after I sing it for you," She then began playing a couple chords on the piano, humming a simple melody as she did so.

"Mercy"- Shawn Mendes

"You've got a hold on me.

Don't even know your power.

I stand a hundred feet

But I fall when I'm around you.

Show me an open door

And you go and slam it on me.

I can't take anymore.

I'm saying, baby

Please have mercy on me.

Take it easy on my heart.

Even though you don't mean to hurt me,

You keep tearing me apart

Won't you please have mercy, mercy on my heart?

Won't you please have mercy, mercy on my heart?"

Chloe smiled as she listened to Beca play the piano and sing. As the redhead listened to the lyrics, she couldn't help but notice that this song seemed to be about someone. _Could this be another song about the supposed mystery girl?_ Chloe thought to herself. The redhead then pushed those thoughts out of her mind so she could focus as Beca went into the next part of the song.

"I'd drive through the night

Just to be near you, baby.

Heart open, testify.

Tell me that I'm not crazy.

I'm not asking for a lot.

Just that you're honest with me.

My pride is all I got.

I'm saying, baby

Please have mercy on me.

Take it easy on my heart.

Even though you don't mean to hurt me,

You keep tearing me apart.

Would you please have mercy on me?

I'm a puppet on your string.

And even though you got good intentions,

I need you to set me free.

Would you please have mercy, mercy on my heart?

Would you please have mercy, mercy on my heart?"

Beca teared up a little as she sang this song. It reminded her of the girl it was about, the girl she fell for back in freshman year. The girl who ended up breaking her heart one year later. The girl that destroyed Beca's faith in true love. She continued to play with so much emotion as she sang out the bridge.

"Consuming all the air inside my lungs,

Ripping all the skin from off my bones.

I'm prepared to sacrifice my life.

I would gladly do it twice.

Consuming all the air inside my lungs,

Ripping all the skin from off my bones.

I'm prepared to sacrifice my life.

I would gladly do it twice.

Oh, please have mercy on me.

Take it easy on my heart.

Even though you don't mean to hurt me,

You keep tearing me apart.

Won't you please have mercy on me?

I'm a puppet on your string.

And even though you got good intentions,

I need you to set me free

I'm begging you for mercy, mercy on my heart.

Begging you, begging you, please, baby.

I'm begging you for mercy, mercy on my heart.

Oh, I'm begging you, I'm begging you, yeah."

Once Beca finished the last note, she pulled her hands away from the keys and wiped a couple tears that were about to fall from her eyes. She then turned to Chloe, taking a deep breath. "So, what did you think?"

"Beca, I-" Chloe started, unable to form words. "I don't know what to say. That was a beautiful song," she finished. The redhead noticed that the brunette's eyes were a little red, as if she had been crying. "Are you okay, Beca?" She asked with a concerned voice.

The brunette looked up at the ceiling and wiped her eyes. "Yeah, yeah I'm okay. It's just, that song brings back all the memories of this girl I knew. Her name's Olivia, and I started the band to impress her," She said with a light chuckle before going back to a blank expression on her face.

Chloe nodded as Beca spoke, starting to put two and two together in her head. "Oh, so is she the mystery girl that you've been writing all these songs about?"

"No, no she's not," Beca said. "Everyone here knows Olivia, she used to go to Hartford," She closed up the piano and turned to face Chloe. "Since you've been here for awhile and you seemed to have become apart of my general friend group, you should probably know the story."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I would like to know the story, but I don't want to make you tell me," Chloe told the brunette. "It's up to you," she added.

"Well, I think it's important that you know it because it plays a big part in why I am the way I am," Beca said, scratching her and for a moment. "Olivia Lammers and I started dating openly around Valentine's Day of freshman year, it was great. I'd never been so enchanted by someone before in my life. She was a junior, and she was smart, beautiful, funny. Long black hair and blue eyes. Basically teenage Aphrodite. She was also the girl I lost my virginity to on my sixteenth birthday," Beca began, smiling as she thought of Olivia. "Anyways, we had been dating for about a year or so and she seemed to slowly begin to pull away from me. I didn't know why, and whenever I asked her, she'd say that everything was perfect. But it wasn't," She then looked down pausing for a moment.

Beca then continued. "One day, I was skateboarding over to her house because she supposedly had been sick that day and I was bringing her some of the homework she missed and some chicken noodle soup. I had a spare key to her family's house that she'd made for me so I let myself in. Her parents weren't supposed to be home, but I heard noises upstairs and went up there. I didn't even have to open her bedroom door to hear her fucking some guy," She said, trying her best not to cry.

Chloe just sat there on the piano bench, not knowing what to say. Her jaw had dropped a little while Beca was telling the story. "Wow," was all the redhead said. She looked down at the ground for a few moments and then back up at Beca. "I really don't know what to say. I'm so sorry that happened, Beca. I really am. You didn't deserve that."

"What made it even worse was I could tell she was slowly getting away from me for so long. But I didn't know why until I walked in on her sleeping with the douchebag football player Anthony Remington," Beca said, shaking her head. "I started writing this song before I knew she was cheating on me, that's why the song say 'even though you don't mean to hurt me.' But she did, and I lost the one love I've ever known in my life," Beca bit her lip to keep from letting anymore tears fall.

"That's why I've had such a hard time warming up to you, you kind of remind me of some of the good things about Olivia," Beca said, sniffling a little more. "And that's why I was so hard on Tom when I found out he was cheating on you. Because it hit a nerve inside me."

Chloe looked down at her hands. Now that Beca had told her that story, everything was starting to make sense. "Nobody should ever go through that, Beca. You're an amazing person, and you didn't deserve to be treated that way. It's a shame that Olivia didn't realize how lucky she was to have you in her life. You're going to find someone who's perfect for you, and who knows what they have when they have you."

"Thanks for the pep talk, Chlo. But Olivia kind of ruined me, I don't believe in true love anymore. When your first love cheats on you, I don't understand how you can fall in love again after that. If the one person you thought you were going to be with forever betrays you like that, it's harder to trust anyone else. I don't know how you are able to recover so quickly. I mean, the same thing happened to you that happened to me," Beca said, shaking her head. "I guess I just need to find the female version of Chicago," She said, chuckling sadly.

Chloe smiled a little and chuckled along with Beca. "I mean, everyone deals with this kind of thing differently. I'm sure that you'll get over it eventually. You're a strong person, Beca. I know you won't let something like this ruin you," Chloe said, looking into the brunette's dark blue eyes.

"Thanks," Beca answered quietly. She smiled as the redhead looked into her eyes. Beca had never really had an up close and personal look at Chloe's eyes. They really were a beautiful shade of light blue. And those lips, those lips looked as sweet as cotton candy. She had an urge to lean in, but she knew that she couldn't do that to her best friend. Beca just smiled and then looked back at the piano. "Han Solo is probably looking for you, you should probably go find him, Princess Leia."

"Yeah, you're right," Chloe said, standing up from the piano bench and walking towards the door. Chloe turned around, frowning a little when she saw Beca still sitting at the piano. "Are you going to come too, or stay here?"

"Yeah," Beca said, taking a deep breath and standing up. She walked over to the redhead and they walked out of the piano room together. Beca watched Chloe run over to Chicago and kiss him. She then turned to see Aubrey and Jesse, who were making out drunkenly in the corner.

"You doing alright there, Beca?" Emily said when the brunette started walking over to the bar with a somber expression on her face.

"I'm not drunk enough, can you pour me two tequila shots?" Beca asked, leaning on the bar counter.

"Yeah, sure. Two shots coming right up," Emily said, pouring the shots and then handing them to Beca. The younger brunette couldn't help but frown as she watched Beca down the alcohol. Something seemed off about her friend, but she couldn't quite tell what it was. "Are you sure you're okay, Beca?"

"Well, let's count up the things that are going wrong in my life," Beca stated, sipping a new beer she'd just opened. "My parents don't support me going to LA, I'm the only one taking care of my little brother and sister on a day to day basis, and on top of that I have feelings for a girl I can never have. You tell me if I'm okay or not," She said, shaking her head and chuckling sadly. "My life is basically falling apart, but I'm alright. I always am. I'm Beca Effin' Mitchell!" Beca slurred before taking the tequila bottle for herself and walking off to the back deck. Just as she made it to the deck, Beca fell on her knees and puked into the grass.

Emily followed Beca out to the backyard and held the older brunette's hair back as she threw up, rubbing soothing circles into the girl's back as well. "I'm going to go get you a water. I'll be right back," Emily said, getting up and going back in the house. She came back a few minutes later, finding Beca sitting on the steps of the back porch. "Here you go," Emily said, handing her the bottle of water and sitting down beside her.

"Thank Em," Beca said, drinking some of the water. She looked down at the ground blankly, trying to figure out how drunk she was for a moment. Then, the shorter brunette began to speak. "Have you ever wanted something so bad, that it literally makes your heart hurt whenever you're reminded that you can't have it?" She asked, sipping the water.

Emily nodded her head. "Yeah, I know the feeling. I take it that's how you're feeling right now?" She said, looking over at Beca, who nodded slowly as soon as the younger girl finished talking.

"I just don't understand why the greatest things in the world always have to be so hard to get, sometimes I just wish that I could have what I want at the drop of a hat," Beca said, sipping her water. "Every single one of my friends who are my age have the full support of their parents to do whatever they want. My mom and dad don't think I'll be able to make it on my own in LA when the truth is I take care of myself, Henry and Hailee all the same time," She leaned back against the top steps. "I mention one word about LA and they find some way out of the conversation."

Emily put a hand on Beca's shoulder and smiled sympathetically towards her. "I know that must be hard. When your parents tell you that you can't make it, don't listen to them. You definitely can make it, Beca, and you know it. As for why the world seems to be making your life as hard as possible, I would approach your challenges with a positive mindset. These bumps in the road wouldn't be thrown your way if you weren't strong enough to get through them."

"Yeah I know, I know," Beca replied with a sigh. "That doesn't mean I like having to handle all those bumps in the road," Beca slurred, making Emily laugh. She then looked at Emily. "You're lucky you know? You and Benji are so great together, and so happy. Just like Chloe and Chicago. That's what I want, too bad I only fall for bisexual girl who cheat on you. That and straight girls, I also fall for straight girls for some reason."

"I'm sure that there's someone out there for you, Beca. There's always someone out there for everybody. Don't let what Olivia did keep you from finding that person. She didn't deserve you, and there's someone out there who does," Emily said.

"I've already found that person, Emily," Beca said, looking down at the ground and closing her eyes for a second. "There's only one problem."

Emily raised an eyebrow in confusion at Beca's words. "Wait, what? Who's the person? And what's the problem?" She asked.

Beca looked around to make sure they were completely alone. "You have to promise me, that you won't tell anyone about this. Not a single person, not even Benji."

"I won't tell anyone. I promise," Emily said genuinely, crossing her heart with her finger and looking into Beca's eyes.

"Okay, once I tell you who the person is, you'll probably figure out the problem," Beca said before taking a very, very deep breath. "Over the last month and a half or so, I've kind of… sort of… developed feelings for Chloe."

Emily nodded her head. "Yeah, I kinda thought before that you might have feelings for her, but I wasn't sure," Emily said. "And yeah, I can see what the problem is. That must be pretty rough, having to see them together all the time."

Beca looked back inside and saw Chloe and Chicago kissing pretty intensely against one of the counters. She cringed and turned back around, sipping her water. "I almost leaned in to kiss her tonight, if I had I would never have forgiven myself."

"It's good that you didn't do that. If you had, the situation would get more complicated than it already is," Emily said, taking a sip of her own bottle of water. "Does Chicago have any idea that you like Chloe?"

"No, of course not. It's the worst possible thing I could tell him. It's equivalent to telling a five year old kid that their dog was hit by a truck," Beca stated, sighing to herself. "He doesn't know, and that's how it's gonna stay. I can't lose my best friend and this is probably the number one way to do that."

"You can't keep this a secret forever, Beca. I mean, I'm not going to tell anyone, but he'll find out eventually. I'm just saying, don't let things get out of hand. That would only hurt Chicago more," Emily replied.

"What would I tell him Emily? How would that go down between us?" Beca said, getting a little upset. "'Hey Chic, you've been the best friend someone could ask for. So I hope you won't want to kill me when I tell you that I secretly want to bang your girlfriend?'" Beca stated. "Or maybe it should be a little more sugar coated. 'Chicago, I really like Chloe. She's amazing, so amazing I wish I was dating her.' No matter how, and no matter when I tell him, it's going to hurt him."

"I know that. I didn't say that you should tell him now. I'm just saying that, while it will hurt him, he would probably rather hear it from you than someone else," Emily said, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I'm just trying to give you advice."

Beca just sat there for a moment, she knew Emily was right. She then sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes. "I'm gonna get an Uber and go home before I do something I regret." She stated, opening the app on her phone.

Emily sighed and looked down. "I'm sorry if what I said earlier upset you, Beca. I'm just trying to help you. I just don't like seeing you like this. I'm doing the best I can to help."

"No, don't be sorry. I know you were just being nice," She said, smiling for a short second. "Happy Halloween, Em," She said, waving in drunken manner before turning around and heading back inside and towards the front of the house. It didn't take long for her Uber to get there.

When Beca got home, she was greeted by her parents, who were standing there with their arms crossed at their daughter. "Oh hey guys!" Beca said, smiling.

"Where the hell have you been?" Jacob demanded, harshly glaring at his daughter. "You didn't think to tell us where you were going before you left? We've been worried sick about you!"

"Chill out," Beca said calmly while slightly slurring her words. "I told you that Stacie was having a Halloween party, she does this every year."

"Telling us that Stacie is having a party is not the same as asking for permission to go to Stacie's party," Jacob said firmly. "You can't just disappear and then act all surprised when your mother and I are upset."

"I'm eighteen years old, Dad! I'm an adult! You can't control me anymore!" Beca said, beginning to feel nauseous from how drunk she was. "You know what, now I can see why you won't let me go to LA. If you can't trust me to go to a fucking party and be responsible, then of course you won't let me go to LA on my own."

"You got wasted at the party," Jacob pointed out.

"Yeah, but I was smart enough not to drive to and from the party. I'd say that's pretty fucking responsible!" Beca said, almost yelling.

"You're right, that was a responsible decision. But the most responsible thing you could've done would be to not go to that party. If you want your mother and I to consider allowing you to go off to LA, you need to abide by our rules," Jacob stated. "Do I make myself clear?"

"That's just bullshit!" Beca yelled, tearing up angrily. "I drive Henry and Hailee to and from school pretty much every day. I get straight As. I'm the captain of the basketball team. I work a job four, maybe even five or six days a week just so I can put gas in my car. I am home by my curfew every single time I go out. Not to mention, I keep my room clean and I watch the twins every night you go out. I have been living by your rules for eighteen years!" Beca said, now crying with angry tears. "I've followed those rules to a T, but you can't even consider supporting my dreams or what I want!"

Beca's parents stood there speechless as their daughter exploded, and she wasn't done there. "How many basketball games or shows have you come to?" She said, waiting for an answer. "That's right! None! For the last eighteen years of my life, I've done whatever you wanted. But you've never supported me! Not once! Chicago's parents have been to my band's shows, and their son isn't even in the fucking band! The only thing you care about is what's best for you, and you never ask what I want!" She screamed before running upstairs to her room and slamming her door.

Beca slammed her bedroom door behind her and collapsed on her bed, burying her face in her pillow as she continued to cry. The brunette lay there for a few minutes, just letting the tears fall. Her sobbing slowly died down, replaced with an occasional sniffle. Beca turned over so she was now laying on her back and staring up at the ceiling. She did feel a little bad for how she had yelled at her parents, but it's not like what she said wasn't true. She then took a deep breath and then closed her eyes, trying to relax.

The brunette girl slowly began to drift off to sleep, laying on her side and covering herself in a blanket. It didn't matter to her that her costume was still on, or that her nose was runny from crying. All the girl wanted was to sleep, and forget about what happened that night.

 **Yeaaahhhhh... Sorry for the sad ending to the chapter. It seems as though Beca's going through a rough patch, which happens to everyone. But she's strong, and she'll come back from it stronger than ever. Plus, there was some more bechloe moments in this chapter, you had to love that!**

 **Until next time!**


	8. Chapter 8: Sunday Funday

Chapter 8: Sunday Funday

Chloe woke up to the smell of food cooking. The smell filled her with delight as she stretched her shoulders and looked up at the ceiling. She smiled as she looked over at the empty spot on the bed beside her. The redhead took a moment to look around Chicago's room, looking at the posters of famous football players and some of his favorite singers. He even had one of Beca's band, which made the redhead smile.

She then got up and put one of Chicago's flannels on, since she had fallen asleep after they had some mischievous fun the night before. She then put on some underwear and headed to the kitchen where she saw Chicago in some loose pj pants and a plain white t-shirt. He smiled as he heard Chloe walk in. "Good morning beautiful," He said, stirring the waffle batter before moving back to the center kitchen island to peel the apples.

"Good morning, handsome," Chloe replied, smiling as she walked into the kitchen. She leaned against the counter, watching Chicago as he peeled the apples. "What are you making for breakfast?" The redhead asked, tucking a stray piece of red hair behind her ear.

"You said you were craving waffles the other day, so I figured that I'd make those along with other popular brunch foods," Chicago said, smiling, eating half of an extra apple slice and then turning to Chloe so she could have the rest. "Does that sound good?"

"That sounds perfect," Chloe replied, smiling and taking the apple slice from Chicago. "Thank you for doing all this for me. I really appreciate it," the redhead said, looking down and blushing a little.

"Anything for you," Chicago said, walking over to Chloe and leaning in to give her a sweet kiss. "Did you have fun at the party last night?" He asked, smiling after he pulled back from the kiss and turning to chop up some more apple slices.

Chloe smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah, I had a lot of fun. Stacie sure knows how to throw a party," she said. The redhead then bit her lip, slightly smirking at Chicago. "I had a lot of fun last night after the party as well."

"Is that so?" Chicago said, raising an eyebrow and smirking at the girl. He turned back to the girl and leaned against the counter, pulling her towards him. The young boy placed his hands on her waist and pulled her into a sensual kiss. "I really did enjoy our little after-party last night," He mumbled against her lips. "You certainly know what you're doing. And I've never enjoyed it with some someone as much as I enjoy it with you."

Chloe smiled and blushed at Chicago's words, looking down for a few moments before her eyes went back up to gaze into his. "Thanks. I can say the same thing about you," the redhead murmured, leaning up and kissing him again.

Chicago smiled and tucked her hair back as he kissed her. He then used his strong arms to lift her up onto the counter, walking in between her legs and kissing her again. "I have to say, you look incredible my flannel," He said, running his hands up and down her bare legs. "You in the morning is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen," He murmured, moving his lips to her neck.

Chloe closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side, sighing happily as Chicago's lips began to trail along her neck. "Mmm, that feels good," she said softly, running her fingers through Chicago's hair. "As much as I'd like to continue this, I don't want to distract you from brunch," the redhead added, reluctantly pulling away.

"Everything that I planned to cook is cooked," Chicago mentioned, winking at her before pecking her lips. "We just have to wait for timer to go off for the waffles, and that's another few minutes," He then pecked her lips again and then smiled at her. "Unless, you don't want me to continue," He whispered, his hot breath hitting her lips.

"I didn't say that, did I?" Chloe said, a little smirk on her face. She leaned forward so that their lips were only centimeters apart. "I never said that I didn't want you to continue. I just said that I didn't want to distract you from the food. But if the food isn't going to be a distraction, then I guess we can continue."

Chicago bit his lip and smirked before leaning back forward and closing the gap. His hands went to the back of her waist and his lips allowed her tongue inside his mouth. "Damn, you look so good right now," He murmured against her soft lips.

"Oh really? How good do I look right now?" Chloe mumbled back to him, cupping his face in her hands as they kissed.

"So good that you give Beyoncé a run for her money," Chicago said, smiling at her and kissing her sweetly. "But you always do that, given you always look so gorgeous," He muttered, stepping even closer to her.

"No matter what you say, you always seem to make me blush," Chloe said, smiling and pulling Chicago closer to her. She broke the kiss for a moment and leaned their foreheads together. "You're so amazing, Chic. Thank you for being my boyfriend," she whispered.

"Thank you for allowing me to be your boyfriend, this last month and a half with has been the best of my life," He said before kissing her nose. They stayed there for moment and smiled at each other, and Chicago couldn't help but say the next sentence that came out of his mouth. "I love you, Chloe Beale," He whispered in a sweet voice. "I hope that it's not too early to say that, but it's true. I love you," He said.

Chloe just looked at Chicago with a blank expression on her face, not sure if she had heard him correctly. His words replayed in her brain over and over again, and Chloe realized that she had heard him correctly after a few moments. A smile then spread across her face. The redhead leaned in and connected their lips, only pulling away when she needed to catch her breath. "I love you too, Chicago Walp. And it's not too early to say that."

All the teenage boy could do in response to Chloe was cup her cheeks and kiss her again, closing his eyes and taking in the moment that had just been shared between the two of them. He then moved his lips to her jawline and then her neck in playful manner, repeating the phrase "I love you" a number of times just to hear the girl giggle and to make her smile.

Chloe smiled and giggled as Chicago peppered her skin with kisses. "I take it that you're really happy right now?" She said, smiling even wider when Chicago looked into her eyes and nodded. "That's good then, because I'm really happy right now as well. And it's all thanks to you."

"Well, love is wonderful for that very reason. It can make you the happiest you've ever been in your life. And that's how I feel with you," Chicago mentioned before leaning to begin pecking her skin again, making the girl giggle and smile some more.

Meanwhile, Beca was having a very different morning. Thankfully she didn't have a terrible hangover, so she texted Jesse and asked him if would meet her at the park near their school to help her watch Henry and Hailee. After she got a text back from Jesse saying that he would be at the park in a half hour, Beca got dressed and then woke up Henry and Hailee before going to the kitchen to make breakfast.

The two kids came out and were watching cartoons on the TV when Beca came in with two bowls of cereal. "Here you go, guys," the brunette said, giving one bowl to Henry and the other to Hailee.

"Thank you!" They said in unison before turning their attention back to the TV.

Just then, Cala Mitchell walked in to see her daughter handing the kids their breakfast. Beca looked up and saw her mother before looking away. She was still upset with her parents from the night before, that's the main reason why she texted Jesse and asked if he wanted to help her watch Henry and Hailee. "Do you guys like your cereal?" Beca asked, trying to ignore her mother's presence in the room.

Cala picked up on this, however, and crossed her arms. "Beca, I'd like to talk to you in the other room for a few minutes."

Beca looked up at her mother and sighed, reluctantly following the woman into the front room of the house. The teenager then stood there and waited for her mother to start speaking. "What is it? I'm supposed to take the kids to the park in a few minutes."

"Look, I wanted to apologize for how your father treated you last night," Cala said, seeing the look of shock in Beca's eyes. "He's not wrong for being upset that you didn't tell us where you were, but I do think that he was harsh on you. And I wanted to apologize to you on his behalf, because that's not something he would do on his own."

"Mom, I don't want you to apologize for what Dad said. That's something he needs to do," Beca said, sighing for a moment. "But I meant what I said last night, and I'm not taking it back. Because it's true. Neither of you have ever come to my concerts or basketball games, and I take care of Henry and Hailee while juggling school, paying for my own car, sports, a band, and a job. I just don't get how after everything I've done, neither of you support me going to LA," She said, crossing her arms. "Every one of my friends parents support their dreams, why can't you guys at least act like you support mine?"

"It's not that we don't support your dreams, Beca. Your father and I want what's best for you. We just don't want you to make any rash decisions that could prevent you from reaching your goals," Cala stated. "Yes, you do have a lot of responsibilities, but that doesn't mean that you're ready for life in the real world."

"You still don't get it, do you?" Beca said, shaking her head sighing before she looked back at her mother. "How can you know what's best for me if you've never given my dreams a chance?" Beca stated firmly before getting a text from Jesse. "I gotta go take Henry and Hailee to the park, I'll see you later," She said before getting the twins and walking out the front door, leaving Cala Mitchell to her thoughts.

When they arrived at the park, Beca saw that Jesse was already sitting at one of the park benches. The brunette parked the car and got out, opening the door so that Henry and Hailee could get out as well. When the two kids saw Jesse, big smiles appeared on their faces and they ran towards them. "Jesse!" They called out happily.

"Hey, Henry and Hailee. It's been awhile since I've seen you guys, hasn't it?" Jesse said, smiling when the two kids ran up and hugged him.

"I have a loose tooth!" Hailee said, opening her mouth and pointing it out to the teenage boy.

"You do, wow you two are growing up so fast," Jesse said with a chuckle before the little kids went to the playground. "So, Emily told me that you headed home early from the party last night. Is everything alright?"

Beca bit her lip and shook her head, looking down for a moment. "No. If I'm being honest, everything is far from alright," the brunette said, putting her hands in her pockets as the four of them started walking towards the playground.

"Did something go down at your place?" Jesse asked, sitting down at a table and watching Henry and Hailee on the playground while still listening to Beca. "Or was it something that happened at the party?"

"A little bit of both, I guess," Beca said, sitting down next to Jesse. She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed, looking up at the sky. "It was mostly at home. My parents and I got into a fight after I got back from the party."

"What was it about? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Jesse said, high fiving Henry when he slid down the slide.

"My dad was mad that I didn't tell him I was going over to Stacie's. We argued about that for a few minutes and then I went off on a rant. That probably made it worse than it had to be," Beca answered, smiling a little when Hailee came up and high-fived her after she went down the slide.

"Well what was this rant about?" Jesse asked, turning to his best friend.

Beca shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. It wasn't really about one thing. I kinda just let them know how I feel about them not supporting my dreams. The whole thing was pointless, though. Even after my rant, they still don't understand."

"You'll find a way to convince them. There are still seven months before the end of the school year, you'll find a way to get them on your side," Jesse said, patting her shoulder. "What about the party, what happened there?"

"Not much, really. I told Emily about my feelings for Chloe after I drank too much tequila and threw up in Stacie's backyard," Beca said, cringing at the memory.

"Oh shit, she's not going to tell anyone is she?" Jesse asked.

"No, she promised she wouldn't even tell Benji," Beca stated.

Jesse nodded his head, watching as Henry and Hailee played tag with each other. "That's good. I mean, I know that Benji wouldn't tell anyone even if he did know, but it's good that you're only telling the people that you know you can trust."

"Of course I'm only telling the people I know I can trust. I don't want to think about what could happen if someone else found out and started spreading rumors," Beca said, looking down. "Imagine if Chicago found out from someone other than me."

"Are you going to tell him?" Jesse asked, turning to her with a concerned look on his face.

"Yes, eventually," Beca said. "I just don't know how I'm going to do it without hurting him. I need to figure out a way to tell him that doesn't cause a lot of damage," She stated.

"Yeah, I agree. Regardless of how you tell him, it's going to hurt. You just have to figure out how to not make it hurt as much," Jesse said.

"It's easier said than done," Beca replied with a sigh. "Do you have any ideas for what I can do?"

"I'd say write a song for any other situation, but not this one," Jesse said, trying to think of something to say. "I think at some point you're going to have to just tell him. If not, then you need to find some way to get over Chloe. Like, maybe you should date another girl."

Beca thought about Jesse's words for a few moments, then started shaking her head. "That's not a bad idea, but I don't know how it would work. Besides, who would I even date?"

"Beca, you're captain of the basketball team and the frontwoman of the hottest band in southern Seattle," Jesse said with a slight chuckle. "I'm sure there are plenty of pretty lesbians who would want to date you," He stated.

"I guess you have a point there, but I'm still not sure. I mean, if you want to try and set me up with someone, go ahead," Beca said, chuckling along with Jesse.

"Only if you want to find a way to get over Chloe," Jesse said, smiling and shrugging. "There is one girl in my AP Biology class that thinks your pretty cute. Her name is Allison," Jesse said, thinking about it for a moment. "Allison Walker. She's on the dance team and has really pretty blonde hair and blue eyes."

"Yeah, I think I know who you're talking about," Beca said, scratching the back of her head. "You think that she'd want to go out with me?"

"Oh yeah, for sure. She talks about you all the time. She says that you're her secret crush," Jesse said with a smile.

Beca smiled a little as well. This Allison girl seemed to be pretty nice, and Beca wanted to get to know her. "Do you have her phone number or her Snapchat?" The brunette asked.

"I don't have her number, but I do have her Snapchat," Jesse said, taking his phone out from his pocket. He found her Snapchat and then gave her username to Beca so she could add her. "You should definitely talk to her Beca. Even if you guys don't end up dating, it's always nice to make new friends."

Beca looked at the username and typed it in, adding the girl once her profile popped up. "Yeah, I always thought she was pretty hot. I just didn't think she wasn't into girls," Beca stated, biting her lip a little and smiling at the girl's profile. "And now we wait."

A couple minutes later, Beca's phone buzzed with a Snapchat notification, and the smile on her face grew wider when she saw that Allison had added her back. "She just added me back. Should I say something to her, or should I wait for her to make a move?" Beca asked Jesse.

Before Jesse could respond, it showed up on Beca's phone that Allison was typing. "I guess you don't have to decide," Jesse said chuckling when the phone buzzed, and Beca had a message from Allison.

 **Allison:** Hey there ;)

Beca read the message and raised her eyebrow, chuckling a little as well. "Look what she said," the brunette told Jesse as she handed her phone over to him so he could read the message.

"See? I told you that she was into you," Jesse replied with a chuckle, giving Beca's phone back to her once he had read Allison's message. "What are you going to say back?"

The girl shrugged before thinking of the response. She then began typing it into her phone with a small smile on her face.

 **Beca:** Hey…a little birdie told me that you wanted to hang out with me sometime ;)

 **Allison:** Yeah, I really would. If that's okay with you, of course.

 **Beca:** You free after school tomorrow?

 **Allison:** I'm free if you're free :)

 **Beca:** Alright then, after school it is. I'm looking forward to it :)

Beca smiled and then put her phone back in her pocket before turning to Jesse. "Allison and I are going to hang out after school tomorrow," she said.

"You know what that means," Jesse said, winking before making a circle with his fingers and moving his finger in and out of the hole. This gesture made Beca roll her eyes and chuckle.

"I haven't been laid in awhile, so you never know. I'll probably make out with her at least," Beca said, chuckling and smiling to herself. "Let's hope this can help get Chloe out of my head."

Just then, Henry and Hailee came running over to them. "Do you want to play hide and seek with us?" Henry asked, looking at Beca and then Jesse with hope in his eyes.

"Sure thing buddy," Jesse said smiling before getting up with Beca. "I'll be 'it' first. I'm gonna start counting now, so go hide," He said smiling before covering his eyes with his hands and counting.

Back at Chicago's, they had gotten a little distracted while watching a TV show on his computer in his room. The young boy was giving Chloe head, flicking his tongue on her core in a very pleasurable way. "Damn you taste good, baby," He moaned, spreading her legs apart to give himself better access.

Chloe moaned as well, pushing Chicago's head down and tugging at the ends of his hair. "Shit, Chic. Keep doing that," she murmured, biting down on her lip to try and keep herself quiet. The boy smirked as he could feel Chloe's body tremble as he went down on her.

"You're turning me on," He muttered, pulling back for a moment only to get back down to Chloe's core with his mouth. "Do you want more?" He whispered.

Chloe just nodded her head and closed her eyes, leaning her head back on the pillows of Chicago's bed. "You're so good at this, Chic. You make me feel so good," the redhead moaned. Chicago smiled and then kissed up her body, leaving a couple of his fingers down at Chloe's core while he grabbed a condom.

The boy then stripped his shirt off and helped Chloe with her clothes, which really wasn't that difficult considering she was only wearing one of his flannels. "You make feel incredible, Chloe. I love the way you make me feel."

"I can say the same about you. You make me feel like nobody else has before," Chloe said, smiling up at Chicago and leaning up to close the distance between them.

This made the boy smile and he kissed her lips softly. His lips moved to her neck and linked his hand with hers. "I want you so bad right now," He whispered, sucking a hickey into her ear.

"If you want me, you can have me," Chloe whispered back to him, turning her head to the side so he had better access to her neck. "I'm yours, Chic. I'm yours," she murmured softly.

Chicago tucked some of Chloe's hair away from the side of her neck so he could kiss it some more. He loved hearing her say those words; knowing that Chloe Beale was his warmed his heart. He kissed her right under her ear before he picked up her back and unclipped her bra, letting it fall. Chloe smiled up at Chicago and bit her lip a little before pulling him down into a passionate kiss.

After they got down to business, the two were cuddling in Chicago's bed under a blanket. Chicago was spooning Chloe, his strong arms wrapped around her waist. Chloe smiled and sighed with happiness, turning her head so she was facing him. "Thank you for that, Chic," she whispered, leaning their foreheads together.

"Thank you for that, Chlo," Chicago mumbled softly. He peppered her skin with kisses, smiling against the skin of her collarbone. Chloe smiled at this and ran her fingers through Chicago's hair as he left sweet kisses on her skin.

They continued to cuddle for a little while longer before Chloe moved to get out of the bed. Chloe giggled a little when she felt Chicago try to pull her back down. "I'd love to keep cuddling with you, but I have to get ready for cheer practice."

"Are you sure you can't stay a little longer?" He murmured, kissing her neck and holding her in his arms for a little while longer before the girl went to get some clothes she'd left in his dresser in case she spent the night at his place.

Chloe nodded and smiled sadly at her boyfriend. "I wish I could, but this practice is really important because we have our competition coming up at the end of the week," she said.

This made the boy groan, but then he nodded and kissed her cheek. Chicago then helped her get ready to go and put one of his flannels in there in case she wanted to sleep in it. "Here's the flannel that you slept in, just in case you miss me and want to sleep in it again," He said, pulling a shirt over his head.

Chloe smiled at this sweet gesture by Chicago and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Thanks, baby. I appreciate it," she said, taking his hands in hers and intertwining their fingers.

"You're welcome," He said before leading her to the door and walking her to her car. He helped put her bag in her car and then walked around with her to the driver's seat. "Work hard babe," He said smiling and kissing her softly on lips. "I love you and I'll text you later."

Chloe smiled and gave him one last peck on the lips before she got into her car and turned it on. The redhead waved at Chicago as she pulled out of the driveway, then started driving towards the school, since their cheer practice was being held in the gym.

Meanwhile, Jesse and Beca decided to take Henry and Hailee out for ice cream. Beca paid for their ice cream and then joined Jesse, Hailee and Henry, who were sitting in a booth and had already started eating their ice cream. "Thank you Beca!" Hailee said as she licked her chocolate ice cream.

"Yeah, thank you Beca!" Henry said through a mouthful of strawberry ice cream.

Beca couldn't help but smile and chuckle at this. "No problem, guys. It's my treat," She then turned to Jesse, resting her arm on chair's armrest. "Hey, things seemed to go your way last night Aubrey. Did you ask her out, or were you two just tongue buddies all night?"

Jesse blushed a little at Beca's words and looked down, scratching the back of his head. "Well, I guess we were 'tongue buddies' for the night, but hopefully it'll lead to something more," he replied, smiling to himself.

"So, I'm taking that as a 'No, I didn't ask her out and I'm hoping she'll come to me first,'"Beca said chuckling and rolling her eyes. "I'm proud of you for making a move last night, but you still haven't asked her out yet dude. You need to get on it."

"But what if she doesn't want something more? What if she just wanted to be tongue buddies for one night?" Jesse asked his friend. "I'm scared that I've read all the signals completely wrong."

"Maybe, but you'll never know if you don't ask," Beca said, shrugging her shoulders. "You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don't take."

Jesse nodded. "I want to ask her out. I'm just not sure how to do it," he said, running his fingers through his hair. "Do you have any ideas?" He asked.

"Here's an idea," Beca started. "Just ask her out at school tomorrow. You guys have a class together, it shouldn't be too hard. Girl don't really like it when guys go big for asking them out. Big romantic gestures are for holidays after you've been together for awhile. Just tell her you'd like to take her out on an official date, it may seem difficult but it's really pretty simple."

"It's easy for you to say. You've got plenty of experience with girls. I, on the other hand, don't," Jesse said, closing his eyes. "You make it seem so simple, but I can't help but feel that it's going to be really hard."

"And I'm saying that from my personal experience," Beca stated, chuckling at her best friend. "Just ask her out. Aubrey, who sometimes annoys me, is just a girl who doesn't want anything fancy. Considering how rich her family is, she's probably sick of over the top gestures or fancy things like that. Just be yourself," Beca said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You didn't do anything super crazy when you asked her to homecoming, so don't do it now."

Jesse nodded and took a few breaths to calm himself down. "You're right. I just have to be myself," he said, smiling a little. "Now I just have to think of ways to ask her out. I'm not going to do anything crazy, but I do want to do something nice for her."

"You do you, man. I just want you to ask her out because girls like her aren't single forever," Beca said, instantly thinking of Chloe, who hadn't been single since Beca had known her.

"Thanks buddy, I appreciate the advice," Jesse said, smiling at his friend. He noticed that Beca had a weird look on her face, and he figured that her mind was on something else. "What are you thinking about, Beca?"

"Nothing, just how the best girls aren't single very long," Beca answered, looking down for a moment. "Either that or they don't swing for your team."

"Hey, look at the bright side," Jesse said as he put a hand on Beca's shoulder. "You've got a date with Allison Walker tomorrow. Just focus on the positive things in life, and it'll be easier to ignore the negative things."

"This coming from the guy who's picturing all the negative scenarios that could take place when he asks out his crush tomorrow," Beca scoffed a laugh before sighing herself. She really did hope this date went well; she needed to get Chloe out of her mind somehow. Yes, she had a date, but what if that wasn't enough to get the redhead out of her head? She could only wait and see.

 **So, what shall come of this date Beca has tomorrow? Will it go well, and will Beca be able to get her mind off of Chloe for awhile? Wait and see! The next chapter will be uploaded soon.**

 **Until next time!**


	9. Chapter 9: The First Feelings

Chapter 9: The First Feelings

"Jacob, why can't you even consider it? Is it really too much to ask for you to think about going to one of Beca's shows? She made a good point the other night, you know. We've never gone to one of her shows or basketball games. Don't you think that it's time we do that?" Cala asked her husband while they stood in the kitchen together. The two had been arguing about going to one of Beca's concerts. Cala was trying to get her husband to go just so they could see it from Beca's point of view.

Jacob, on the other hand, was trying to convince his wife why it was a bad idea for Beca to be in a band at all. He shook his head as he chopped up some peppers for dinner. "No, I don't think we should, Cala. If we do, we're basically telling her that she can go to LA, and that's out of the discussion. We're trying to convince our daughter to be reasonable, and going to LA to try and start a career in music isn't reasonable."

"How can we decide that Beca going to LA to pursue a music career is unreasonable when we've never seen her play? For all we know, Jacob, she could be the next big thing. I just don't understand why you're so insistent on writing off Beca's potential when neither of us have seen her perform," Cala replied in a firm voice, crossing her arms.

"Darling, I want to support her. But she doesn't know what being in the real world means. It means paying your own bills, it means getting a job so you can pay your bills. It also means that you have to make huge sacrifices just to get by. Beca is too young and to naive to see that," Jacob said, shaking his head and sighing at his wife. "If we go to her concerts, she'll think that we're in support of her going to LA. I don't want her to get her hopes up," He stated. "I know she's talented, but there are many talented people out there who chase the same dreams and end up homeless on the street."

"So you're saying that we shouldn't let Beca follow her dream just because there's a possibility that she might fail?" Cala said, raising an eyebrow. "Sure, making it in the music industry is very difficult and she may not make it, but that doesn't mean that she should be stuck in some dead-end job that she hates. Would you rather let Beca try and make a living in LA or have her resent us because we didn't let her follow her dream?"

"Of course I don't want her to resent us, Cala," Jacob said. "But I also want what's best for her, and struggling to find money for your next rent payment isn't something I was Beca to have to go through," He said, shaking his head. "You can go to her concerts, but I'm not. I just don't want to support a hobby that probably won't last."

His wife nodded her head and sighed. "Wow, way to be a supportive father. Keep going and you'll end up having the same relationship with Beca that you have with your father, and I don't think you want that," She said, grabbing her phone and placing it her pocket before leaving the kitchen to let Jacob finish cooking dinner.

Meanwhile, Beca was at school and standing outside of the gym, waiting for the dance team's practice to end so she and Allison could go on their date. The brunette found herself surprisingly nervous for the date and was pacing back and forth outside the gym doors, giving a pep talk at the same time. "Don't be nervous for this, Beca. There's nothing to be worried about. Everything's going to be great," she muttered to herself. "This is just a regular date with a pretty girl, and you're just going to be how you are on all your other dates. Smooth and professional."

She then looked in the window and saw most of the girls taking off their dance shoes. Beca caught a glimpse of Allison, wearing her long blonde hair in a braid. She was really beautiful, Beca had to admit. Still, no one really could compare to Chloe. Her red hair, her bright blue eyes; not to mention her smile and her laugh, there were so many things about Chloe that captivated Beca. But Chloe was straight and dating the brunette's best friend, which was why Beca was going to date Allison. It was mainly to get Chloe out of her brain.

Beca was lost in her thoughts when the gym doors opened and the dance team walked out. Allison was the last person to walk out, and Beca smiled when she saw the blonde. "Hey," the brunette said, looking down and smiling a little. She stood there awkwardly for a few moments with her hands in her pockets before speaking again. "So, uh, what did you want to do?"

"Well, I've got to take a shower first," Allison said, chuckling at the brunette's awkwardness. "I'll be out in fifteen minutes," She stated, smiling brightly before walking towards the locker room.

"Right, yeah. I totally knew that. See you soon," Beca said, mentally facepalming herself as she watched the girl head into the locker room. The brunette ran her fingers through her hair and sighed, feeling her face start to turn red from embarrassment.

Allison came back around fifteen minutes later like she said she would, and she smiled when she saw Beca. "Alright, now I'm ready to go," she said with a chuckle, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Awesome, my car is out this way," Beca said, smiling before putting her arm around Allison's shoulder and walking towards the closest exit. Allison smiled and blushed a little when Beca put her arm around her shoulder, leaning her head on the brunette's shoulder as they walked out to her car.

"So, how was your day today?" Allison asked, putting her stuff in the trunk of Beca's car.

"It's been pretty good. I've been looking forward to this all day," Beca said, smiling and closing the trunk before walking over to open the passenger car door for Allison. She then went to the driver's seat and turned on the car. "So, what would you like to do? We can go get some food. I bet you're hungry after dance practice."

"Yeah, I am. How did you guess?" Allison said with a little giggle. She got in the passenger's seat and closed the door behind her, buckling her seatbelt. "Maybe we could go get pizza or something, if that's alright with you?" She suggested.

"I love pizza," Beca said, smiling before pulling out of the parking lot. She kept the radio fairly quiet so the two of them could talk. "So, Jesse told me you're a fan of 'Trio?' When did you first get to see us perform?" Beca asked as she drove towards the local pizza shop.

"Oh, god, it must've been when your first performance in freshman year," Allison said with a laugh. "I'm not laughing at you guys, by the way. I'm just laughing because it seems like forever ago."

"It does, I remember the first song that I ever wrote for the band," Beca said, chuckling. "It feels like ages ago when I did that."

"I'm sure it does. Now look how far you guys have come. You're the most popular band in the school, if not in Seattle," Allison said with a smile.

"Do you have a favorite song?" Beca asked, stopping at a stop light and turning her head to look at Allison a little. The girl was really hot, and she was a dancer so it wasn't like she had a bad body either. Beca smiled as she waited for the girls answer.

"I like all of the band's songs, really. They're all so good that it's impossible to choose one favorite," Allison replied, smiling back at Beca. "If you had to pick a favorite song that you've written, which one would it be?" She asked.

"I don't know, there are a lot to choose from," Beca said as she looked back to see the light had turned green. "I do really love 'Locked Out of Heaven,'" She answered as she thought some more about it. "But I'd have to say my favorite is 'The Song That Everyone Sings.'"

"Oh, really? And what makes that song your favorite?" Allison asked curiously, looking out of the window as Beca started driving again.

"It's probably just because of the lyrics. They're just pretty personal to me, and I love that about it," Beca said. "I wrote it after Olivia and I broke up."

"Oh," Allison said, looking down for a moment. Beca had only told the full story of what had happened between her and Olivia to a few close friends, but she still had a vague idea of what happened. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that question. I didn't know that it would remind you of her," the blonde said apologetically.

"No, it's okay really. It helped me get over her actually," Beca said as she pulled into the parking lot of the pizza shop. "There are still some days that I miss her, but I wouldn't change the way my life is now. I'm captain of the basketball team, I have great friends, an amazing band, and I get to date pretty girls like you."

Allison blushed at Beca's last words and smiled to herself. "Thanks," she said shyly, turning away from Beca so that she didn't see how red her face was turning. The blonde then looked up and saw that they had arrived at the pizza shop. "Alright, I guess we should head inside now, right?"

"Yeah, yeah you're right," Beca said, smiling before they got out of the car and headed inside. Beca got them a table for two and then they ordered their pizza, talking and laughing as they waited for it. "So, where are you going to college?" Beca asked, taking a sip of the lemonade she ordered.

"You know, I actually haven't decided yet," Allison answered, taking a sip of her Pepsi. "I'm looking at a bunch of different schools and I'm going to try to start narrowing down the list so I can make a decision."

"Yeah, I never understood why people said we need to know what we want as soon as we hit senior year. I feel like sometimes it's good to take your time to figure out what you really want," Beca said, smiling and nodding at the girl.

"Exactly. I want to make sure that I'm totally sure on what I want to do and where I want to go for college before I make any decisions. I don't want to make a decision too soon and end up regretting it," Allison said.

"Well I think that's really smart of you to do," Beca said, smiling at the girl. "I on the other hand have known what I've wanted since I went to my first ever concert when I was eight years old," She said, chuckling.

Allison chuckled along with Beca. "Well, it certainly seems that you have the talent to make it in the music industry. I swear, some of your songs are so good that they could be chart-toppers."

"Thanks, that really does mean a lot coming from someone other than my immediate friend group," Beca said, smiling. "You're more supportive of my dreams than my parents are."

"Your parents aren't supportive of your dreams?" Allison asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "How could they not support your dreams? Do they know how talented you are?"

"They've never even been to one of my concerts," Beca said with a nod of her head as the pizza got there. "They just don't think my dreams are realistic. They think this band I was started is a hobby that will burnout once I graduate," She then shook her head and grabbed a piece of pizza. "I actually got into an argument about that Saturday night after I got home from Stacie's Halloween party," She chuckled.

"You know, you seem surprisingly calm about this whole situation," Allison observed. "If it were me, I would be panicking, but you're not. You must be confident that you'll be able to change your parents' minds, huh?" The blonde added.

"Believe me, I know they won't change their minds," Beca said, shaking her head. "They're too set on me staying in Seattle and going to college here so I can still watch my two younger siblings," She said before taking a bite of pizza. "But I'm eighteen now, so they can't control what I do. If I have to make it on own, then that's what I'll do. Songwriting and performing is my passion, I'm not going to just throw that away."

"And you shouldn't throw that away," Allison said. She leaned forward and rested her hand on top of Beca's. "You shouldn't throw away your dreams just because of one person's opinion, and I'm glad that you're not going to do that. You're too amazing of a person to not follow your dreams, wherever they may take you," the blonde said in a genuine voice.

Beca smiled, maybe this was a good idea. Allison was great, and Beca hadn't thought about Chloe for the last half an hour. _Shit, now she's in my head again,_ Beca thought to herself. But for the record, she hadn't thought about Chloe for awhile, so at least Allison was helping. Beca wondered what Chloe's hands felt like as Allison's rested on top of hers. "I should have you talk to my parents," Beca said with a chuckle, running her thumb over the back of Allison's hand.

"I mean, I don't know if it would help at all, but I could give it a shot if you really wanted to," Allison replied with a smile, looking down at their hands. Her smile grew even wider, and she looked down. "Thanks for taking me out tonight. This has been really nice," she said, looking back up at Beca.

"Of course, I really wanted to get to know you after Jesse told me about you. And I have to say that I'm really happy that we started messaging yesterday," Beca said genuinely, noticing the way Allison bit her lip and smiled. Beca smiled and then looked over at the piano sitting there at the small stage in the restaurant. "I want to thank you for going out with me tonight, could I play you a song of your choosing?" She asked, bringing the girls hand up to give it a quick kiss.

"I would love that," Allison said, blushing when Beca kissed her hand. The two of them got up and walked towards the piano, Allison sitting down on the bench beside Beca. "Which songs do you know for the piano, or do you know them all?" She asked.

"I can play most of my songs on the piano, so you can choose whichever one you want," Beca said, smiling and placing her hands on the keys and waiting for the girl to think of the song she wanted Beca to play.

"How about 'Shine So Bright?'" Allison said, smiling at Beca. "Now that I think of it, that's probably my favorite."

"Alright then," Beca said smiling before beginning to play the music, smiling over at the girl sitting next to her as she began to sing.

"Shine So Bright"- Teddy Thompson

"I wanna be a huge star

That hangs out in hotel bars.

I wanna wake up at noon

In somebody else's room.

I wanna shine so bright it hurts.

I wanna be deathbed thin,

Never realize the state I'm in.

With my head in the clouds

And be followed around by crowds.

I wanna shine so bright it hurts."

Beca leaned over and kissed the girls cheek as she continued to play into the next verse, making the girl go rose red in the cheeks. Beca then continued to sing the next part of the song.

Allison watched as the girl sang, completely enchanted by Beca's voice as she sang the song with such ease. Watching her crush sing for her up close was without a doubt one of the most amazing things Allison had ever experienced.

"I wanna be high strung,

Make people wonder what they've done.

No one will talk back.

Cause you'll never know

When it might snap.

I wanna shine so bright that it hurts.

I wanna shine so bright that it hurts.

I wanna shine so bright that it hurts."

Beca continued to play the piano and sing, finding herself getting lost in the music like she always did. The brunette then looked over at Allison, smiling as the song came to an end. "So? Did you like it?"

"Did I like it?" Allison repeated back with a chuckle. "Beca, of course I liked it. In fact, I loved it."

"Good, I'm glad," Beca said smiling at the girl. "I just wanted to make sure. Sometimes artists aren't as good live as they are on recording. Take Katy Perry for example, she doesn't always sound very good live. She has many off days, at least in my opinion," She said with a chuckle before turning and getting up off the piano bench. "I'll go pay for the pizza, then I'll come back," Beca stated, leaning down and kissing Allison's cheek once again before going to pay for the pizza.

Allison smiled as she watched Beca walk away. The blonde truly did like the brunette; she had liked her for a long time as a matter of fact. She never would've thought that she would get the opportunity to go out with her. In Allison's mind, Beca Mitchell was way out of her league, which was why she too was feeling nervous during the date. She tried to play it off as best as she could, but she was still nervous deep down because she didn't want to mess this chance up.

Beca came back over and then held out her hand to Allison. "May I drive you home?" Beca asked, smiling softly. "I figured we could continue our date at your place by watching a movie or something."

"Yeah, that sounds great," Allison said, smiling back at Anna and taking her hand. They left the pizza place and went to Allison's house. Her parents were out that night, so they went up to her room to watch some Netflix. "So, any ideas on what we should watch?" Allison asked, grabbing her laptop from her desk.

"We can watch whatever you want," Beca said, smiling and sitting on the small couch that the girl had in her room. "I'm good with anything," She stated, putting her arm around the girl's shoulder and placing a blanket over them so they could get comfortable. Beca placed her other hand to rest on the girls thigh, smiling when Allison's head laid down on her shoulder.

"Alright, cool. Do you mind if we watch _The Office_? That's one of my favorite shows," Allison said, opening her laptop and waiting for it to turn on.

"That sounds great," Beca said. She smiled and watched Allison as she pushed play on the show. However when the show started, Beca paid more attention to Allison. It was cute, watching her quote the lines from all of the people on the show. "You're really cute, quoting all these lines," Beca whispered at one point in the second episode they were watching.

Allison smiled at Beca's words and blushed as well. "Thanks. I've rewatched this like five times which is why I've memorized all the lines," the blonde said with a cute giggle.

"I think it's pretty cute," Beca said, tracing shapes on the girl's arms. The main reason that she found it cute was because Chloe did the same thing one time during a movie night; the redhead would quote, sometimes word-for-word, lines that were said in the movie. Watching and listening to Allison quote this TV show made Beca smile.

They watched a few more episodes together before Allison turned off her laptop and put it on her bedside table. She then turned so she was facing Beca, and she smiled at the brunette. "I've had a really great time tonight. Thank you for that."

"Thanks for letting me take you out," Beca said, biting her lip and smiling before leaning in and placing her lips against Allison's. She smiled into the kiss when Allison began to kiss her back.

Allison leaned into the kiss, cupping Beca's face in her hands while their lips moved together in sync. Their lips were connected for quite some time and they only pulled away when they needed to catch their breath. Allison smiled and gazed into Beca's eyes once their lips parted. "Wow," she whispered.

"Yeah, that's what I was gonna say," Beca said smiling. Allison was a really good kisser, in fact one of the best kissers Beca had been able to kiss. There was only one problem, the entire time she was picturing herself kissing a certain redhead. However, that did stop her from pulling Allison onto her lap and leaning up to kiss her again. She needed to get Chloe out of her head, and she felt she was running low on options. Her hands rested on Allison's waist as the kiss deepened. "You're so hot," Beca whispered.

"So are you," Allison murmured back, scooting up further on Beca's lap. The blonde deepened the kiss by sliding her tongue across the brunette's bottom lip and then slipping her tongue inside her mouth. "Mmm, you're such a good kisser, Becs," Allison mumbled against her lips.

Beca whimpered softly when the girl scooted up even further on her lap. She then smirked when Allison bit her bottom lip and tugged on it. "You're a really good kisser as well," She muttered against the blonde girl's lips. Beca pulled back and began kissing a trail down Allison's jawline to her neck. "When are your parents going to be back?" She murmured absentmindedly as her lips began to suck on Allison's skin.

"They're at dinner with some friends, so they won't be back until later. Why do you ask?" Allison whispered back, turning her head to the side so Beca had better access to her neck.

"I'm just curious, because the longer they're out the longer we can continue this," Beca whispered, kissing up behind the girl's ear. "I don't want to push you to do anything unless it's something you want to do," She murmured in the girls ear before nibbling on her earlobe, moving her hands to Allison's bum.

"I don't want to go too far, but I would like to continue this for awhile," Allison said, smiling when Beca moved her hands from her waist to her bum. "How about you? Would you like to continue this?"

"That was a trick question right?" Beca asked, smiling and squeezing her ass some more before moving her lips back to Allison's. The truth was that Beca didn't know how long she'd be able to last with Allison on top of her as they continued to make out. She hadn't had sex in awhile, sue her. On top of that, Allison was one of the hottest girls in school. Beca just needed to take deep breaths so she didn't have an early bird special after making out for a couple of minutes. But Allison wasn't making it easy for her.

Allison could tell that she was getting Beca worked up pretty easily, so she decided to slow things down a little bit. The blonde leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Beca's lips, pulling away a few moments later only to connect their lips again. "Am I turning you on?" The blonde whispered, leaning their foreheads together.

The brunette answered with a soft nod of the head, biting her own lip. "Yes, you are," She chuckled nervously as her cheeks turned red with embarrassment. "I haven't made out or had sex with anyone in awhile. Plus, you're a beautiful girl who's sitting on my lap, so that doesn't help my situation," Beca added before laughing a little more.

Allison laughed along with Beca and ran her fingers through the brunette's hair. "Well, if it would help your situation, we could always stop now. I wouldn't want to get you too turned on and end up leaving you 'high and dry' as they say."

"We can keep going for a little while longer, I'll just tell you if I need to stop," Beca said, pulling Allison back into a deep kiss. She squeezed Allison's bum softly and smiled as they continued to make out on the girl's bed for an hour or so.

The next day at school, Beca walked up to Allison and wrapped her arms around her from behind. "Hey there, beautiful," Beca said, kissing her cheek.

"Hi," Allison responded, turning her head so that Beca could give her a sweet kiss on the lips.

Chloe saw this exchange from across the hallway, tilting her head to one side in confusion. She then saw Jesse stopping at his locker nearby, so she walked up to him. "Hey Jesse, who's that girl Beca's with?"

Jesse looked over and smiled when he saw Beca and Allison, knowing that they must have hit it off pretty well on their date. "The blonde girl? That's Allison. They went on a date last night, and it seems like it went well," Jesse said, genuinely happy for his friend.

"Doesn't Beca usually just fuck and chuck?" Chloe asked in confusion. "I thought she was that one-night stand type of girl," She said as she watched the two girls closely. For some reason, seeing Beca with that girl made Chloe's heart hurt a little. Maybe it was because she and Beca were finally getting along, and she didn't want anyone to take her friend away. "Like, I've never seen her with the same girl twice. Is something going on with her?"

"Beca's never been someone who's all about relationships, but she doesn't necessarily do one-night stands either," Jesse said. "She used to do that before, but after Olivia, she hasn't really dated anyone. Sure, she goes out on dates, but she doesn't go very far with any of them. I think it's just that Olivia caused her to build up her walls so high that very few people can break through them. She's scared of being hurt, and after what she went through, I can understand why."

"Yeah, she told me about the story about Olivia at the party on Saturday. I had no idea Beca had gone through that," Chloe said, shaking her head.

"Well, it's why Beca doesn't trust very easily," Jesse said, shrugging his shoulders. "She hasn't ever told anyone besides Chicago, Benji, and me. I guess that means she really trusts you if she was willing to tell you that. Most people just know that Beca and Olivia had a bad breakup, only the few of us know the actual reason why."

Chloe looked over, seeing that Beca and Allison were still by their lockers and were now embracing. "So, does that mean that they're dating now?" The redhead asked.

Jesse shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not really sure. Beca hasn't said much to me. I'll be happy for her if they are dating, though. It's nice to see her happy again."

"Yeah, you're right. It is nice to see her happy," Chloe said, still looking over at the two girls. She bit her lip and then turned to grab her books, not wanting to be caught staring. The redhead did peek back at Beca, who was now giving this girl a kiss before they began walking down the hallway together.

Just then, a pair of arms wrapped around Chloe from behind, making her jump a little. "Relax, babe, it's just me," Chicago said, chuckling at his girlfriend.

"Hey, sorry," Chloe said, chuckling nervously for a second. "I was just deep in thought, I guess. How was football practice yesterday?" She asked turning to give him a quick kiss, watching Beca as she walked away with Allison out of the corner of her eye.

"Practice was good. I've got practice again tonight. We've got a big playoff game on Friday, so we have to be as prepared as possible," Chicago said. He looked behind Chloe and saw Beca walking with her arm around a blonde girl's waist, and he raised an eyebrow. "Who's that girl that Beca's walking with?" He asked.

"Her name is Allison, apparently they went on a successful date last night," Chloe said, looking down the hall at the brunette. "I see her every now and then because of dance and cheer, but I didn't know her name until Jesse told me that she and Beca went a date last night."

"Huh. I wonder why Beca didn't tell me that she went on a date," Chicago said, running his fingers through his hair. "Well, it's good that the date went well. Do we know if they're a couple now? It sure seems like they are."

"I guess we'll just have to ask Beca," Chloe said, biting her lip and looking down at the floor. Not that she wasn't happy for her friend; there was something else was going on in the redhead's minds. Something that Jesse had just told her. _Most people just know Beca and Olivia had a bad breakup… I guess that means she really trusts you if she was willing to tell you that._ Those two phrases kept playing in her head. Why did Beca trust her with that secret? Especially when they hardly got along before that night at the Halloween party.

 **So, why was Chloe so interested in Beca's new relationship? Could it be some new feelings arising inside of her? Especially after she was told Beca trusts her enough to talk about the whole "Olivia" situation. How do you think Chloe will continue to react to Beca's possible new girlfriend? Keep reading to find out. The next chapter will be out soon.**

 **Until next time!**


	10. Chapter 10: One Supportive Parent

Chapter 10: One Supportive Parent

Beca was almost done getting ready for school that Friday morning, putting on her eyeliner and the rest of her makeup. "Henry, Hailee! You two better have your shoes on by the time I get downstairs!" She called out, chuckling as she heard a couple pairs of feet running down the stairs. She chuckled to herself and then smiled when her phone buzzed with a text from Allison.

 **Allison:** Good morning babe! I can't wait to come to your show tonight!

The two girls had been dating for a couple weeks now, and Beca was really happy. She hadn't thought about Chloe in awhile now, and she was starting to believe that she was on her way to getting over the redhead. 'Trio' was performing at a local concert venue that night, their last show before Thanksgiving break.

 **Beca:** Good morning baby! I can't wait for you to see me perform tonight :)

The brunette sent the message and then gathered up her stuff before going downstairs, where she found Hailee and Henry all ready to go. "Wow, you guys listened to me for once," Beca said with a chuckle, getting her car keys out of her pocket. "Do you guys have your homework and your lunches and everything?"

The two kids nodded, holding their lunch that their mom had made for them. "Mom packed up chocolate pudding!" Hailee said, swinging her legs back and forth excitedly.

"Awesome!" Beca said, matching the kids enthusiasm.

Cala then walked in with the kids backpacks, handing them to the twins. "You three be safe heading to school today," She said, smiling softly at her kids.

"We will, Mom," Beca said in unison with her two younger siblings. "I don't know if you remember me telling you this, but I've got a show tonight, so I'll be home a little later," Beca told her mom as the twins started walking out of the door. "That's okay, right?"

"Yes I remember, I put it down in my calendar actually," Cala said, smiling at her daughter, who looked slightly confused. "I want to come to your show tonight, if that's okay."

Beca looked at her mother with a blank expression on her face, not sure if she had heard her right. "Wait, what? You're coming to my show tonight?" The brunette asked.

"Yes, I am. I'd like to see you perform," Cala said in a genuine tone, chuckling a little at the look on Beca's face. "I feel it's time that I see you perform. Of course, it's about three years too late for me to start going, but I want to support you and see where you're coming from," She stated.

Beca couldn't help but smile at her mom. "Thanks, Mom. That really means a lot to me. Yeah, I would've liked you to have come to my shows before, but this does mean a lot. At least I know I can count on you for support."

"Unfortunately I can't say the same about your father, but you can count on me to be in the front row," Cala said before giving each of the twins individual hugs. She then turned to Beca. "I'll see you three after school."

After saying goodbye to their mother, the three Mitchell kids went out to Beca's car. Beca helped Hailee and Henry get into their car seats and got into the driver's seat, making sure that they all had their seatbelts on before she pulled out of the driveway. "So, what have you guys been learning in school lately?" Beca asked the twins.

Hailee was quick to answer. "We have been learning about butterflies!" She said sweetly, making Beca's lips curl into a smile as she listened to her two younger siblings go on about what they had been learning.

"That's so cool, you two!" Beca said in an enthusiastic tone to match the five year olds excitement.

"Yeah! We're going to go outside and look at the butterflies today!" Henry said excitedly, making Beca smile even wider.

"I think we're going to get to draw the butterflies too," Hailee said with a smile.

"That's awesome! If you guys make butterfly drawings, make sure that you show them to me," Beca said.

"We will!" Henry said, smiling as Beca pulled up to their school.

"I love you guys, I'll see you at 3:30 okay?" Beca said, waving goodbye and blowing a kiss to her two little siblings as they ran off into the school.

Beca then drove to her school and went to the music room since she got there a little earlier than usual. She heard someone singing and playing the piano as she got closer to the room where her band usually practices. The brunette opened the door and saw Chloe, sitting there and singing an old Beatles song.

"Let It Be"- The Beatles

"When I find myself in times of trouble,

Mother Mary comes to me.

Speaking words of wisdom:

'Let it be.'

And in my hour of darkness,

She is standing right in front of me.

Speaking words of wisdom:

'Let it be.'"

Beca smiled at this and walked in and listening contently to Chloe singing. "Wow, I've never heard you sing before," She said, clapping as the redhead jumped a little and turned to see the brunette standing there.

"You scared me," Chloe said with a chuckle, taking a sip from her bottle of water as she turned to face Beca. "I know this is probably really cliche, but 'Let It Be' is probably my favorite song by The Beatles."

"It is a classic," Beca said, smiling before walking over to sit next to Chloe on the piano bench. "The first song I learned to play on the piano was 'Here Comes the Sun.'" Beca said proudly. "They will forever be my favorite band of all time."

"I'd be able to say the same if I didn't also love U2," Chloe said with a smile. "The Beatles and U2 are tied for favorite band in my book," she added.

"U2 is definitely my current favorite band," Beca said, smiling as well. "I actually got to see them live when I was thirteen, it was the best night of my life. We got front row tickets after we sat and waited for twelve hours outside the stadium to see them," She said, chuckling at the memory.

Chloe's jaw dropped. "You waited outside the stadium for twelve hours? I mean, it is U2, but still. I don't know if I could make it for five hours, let alone twelve," the redhead said.

"When it's your favorite band, it makes it a lot easier to wait," Beca stated. "I think my favorite song by them is 'Grace,' it's one of the first songs I learned on the guitar," She mentioned, placing her hands on the piano and playing a simple melody.

Chloe watched and listened as Beca started creating a melody on the spot. "I've played piano for as long as I can remember, but I still don't know how you can just sit down and write a song so easily."

"Trust me, it doesn't come along very easily," Beca said, shaking her head. "I spend at least five hours a day working on songs. Some are easier to write, but there are others that have taken me a year to get them where I want them to be," She mentioned as she continued to play.

"What song did it take the longest to write, or what song was it hardest to write?" Chloe asked curiously.

"I don't think you've heard it yet. But it's called 'The Song That Everyone Sings.'" Beca said, stopping from the playing piano for the moment. "It's one of the only really personal songs I've performed. It's kind of like 'Mercy,' but it's about me moving on from Olivia," Beca said, sighing softly before turning to Chloe. "It's a love song, obviously. Any song about Olivia is some heartbreaking love song."

Chloe was silent for a few moments before speaking up. "I'm not really sure if it's my business or not, but I saw you with Allison the other day and I just wanted to say that you two look really cute together, and it's obvious that she makes you happy."

"Oh yeah, she's pretty great. The last couple of weeks have been amazing, I'm glad Jesse helped me get a date with her," Beca said, smiling genuinely down at the keys. "Maybe I'll write a song about her soon, but right now I'm still trying let go of someone else."

Chloe assumed that Olivia was the "someone else" Beca was talking about. "I'm sure that Chicago and Jesse have already said this to you, but it's okay if you're not totally over Olivia. Everyone heals at different paces, and it's understandable that you're still upset after everything that happened between you two," she said in a sympathetic voice.

"No, I'm over Olivia," Beca said, scrunching up her face a little bit. "I've been over her for awhile now actually," She then turned to look back at the piano.

Chloe raised an eyebrow in confusion at Beca's words. _If she's over Olivia like she said she is, then who is the person that she needs to let go of?_ Chloe thought to herself. She stayed silent, though, figuring that if Beca wanted to tell her who the person was, she would do it without having to be asked.

"I'm sure that everyone in our friend group has guessed that 'Tenerife Sea' was about someone. And they weren't wrong," Beca stated, looking down for a moment. "But it's not about Olivia. Olivia had green eyes, and the song says 'the way it brings out the blue in your eyes.' So it's not about her at all."

Chloe started to piece together the puzzle in her head. "So that means that the person you're trying to let go of is the same person that you wrote about in 'Tenerife Sea?'" She asked.

"Yeah, basically," Beca answered, nodding her head as she began playing again. "It's not about Allison either. I've only known her for two weeks, and she has brown eyes," The brunette said with a chuckle.

"Well, that narrows down the list of who it could be. I'm not even sure who's on that list at this point," Chloe said, chuckling along with Beca. "Do I happen to know the mystery girl?"

"I think you do, but that's the only other hint you're getting," Beca said, raising her eyebrows and smirking. _I'd hope you know yourself_ , Beca said in her head. "It's a mystery you're going to have to solve on your own."

Chloe shook her head and chuckled. "I don't think those hints are going to be very helpful. Sure, it eliminates the people that I know, but there's so many people in this school that I don't know and there's a chance that any of them could be the mystery girl."

"You do know her, so that should narrow it down to a few," Beca said, shaking her head. "You should also know she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

Chloe thought about what Beca had just said. "Is Stacie the mystery girl?" The redhead asked after a few moments of silence. "She's got blue eyes, and she's really pretty too."

This made Beca burst out with laughter, to the point where she almost started crying because she was laughing so hard. "No, Stacie is not the mystery girl. Yes, she's beautiful and yes she has blue eyes, but no. She's my wingwoman on a night out though."

"The only other people that I know with blue eyes are Aubrey and Emily. I know that you and Emily are friends, and I don't think it would be Aubrey because you two hate each other," Chloe said, running her fingers through her hair. "There's nobody else. Why don't you just tell me who it is?"

"Well, I'm premiering a new song tonight at the concert. Maybe you should come. It's about the mystery girl, and then maybe you can figure it out. And Emily has brown eyes by the way," Beca said before the warning bell rang. "I better head up to the library, I'll see you up at the concert tonight," She stated before grabbing her bag and standing up. "Don't be late for class, Red."

"Don't worry, I won't. And you better not be late to the library, nerd," Chloe said in a teasing voice. She giggled when Beca glared at her, and then she too grabbed her things and started walking down the hallway. "I'll see you later!" She called over her shoulder as she headed to her first period class.

Beca breathed a sigh of relief once she got to the library, slumping down in her chair. She kept thinking about what would've went down if Chloe had asked if she herself was the mystery girl. Beca knew she would've been burnt toast if Chloe had suspected anything. The brunette had been a bit worried at first that Chloe would be able to figure out that she was actually the mystery girl, but luckily she didn't.

The morning passed by pretty quickly and soon it was lunch. Beca was sitting at a table with Jesse, Benji, and Emily. The three band members were discussing their show later that night while Emily worked on finishing some homework. "Are you guys excited for tonight? Because I sure am," Jesse said with a grin.

"You're so weird," Beca said, shaking her head and chuckling at her friend.

"And I'm proud to be, would you rather have me be an egotistical asshole?" Jesse asked with a chuckle.

"You are an egotistical asshole," Beca answered, laughing at Jesse.

"You're just a weird one," Benji said, finishing Beca's statement for her.

"But to answer your question, yes I am excited for tonight specifically," Beca stated, smiling to herself. "Because my mom is coming to the show tonight."

"Wait, really? That's awesome! She's never been to a show before," Jesse said, smiling at his friend.

"Yeah, that really is cool, Beca," Benji said, smiling as well.

"I know right? She came up to me this morning and told me she was coming to the show tonight!" Beca said with a bright smile on her face. "I really hope that I impress her."

"We'll all have to perform really well tonight so that we can impress your mom and prove to her that you going to LA isn't unreasonable," Jesse said. "I know that we can do it. I know that you can do it, Beca."

"Know that you guys can do what?" The entire group turned to see Chicago and Chloe walking over to their table and sitting down with them. "What's going on?" Chloe asked, sitting down in between Beca and Chicago.

"Beca's mom is coming to the concert tonight. It's the first time either of Beca's parents have come to support her," Emily said, smiling excitedly for Beca.

"Really? That's great, Beca!" Chloe said to the brunette with a wide smile. "What about your dad? Is he coming to the show?"

Beca bit her lip and looked down, shaking her head. "No," she answered simply, scoffing a sad chuckle. "When he comes to see me perform, that means hell has frozen over."

"Oh," Chloe said, awkwardly looking down. "Well, at least your mom is coming. Maybe she'll be able to convince your dad to come to a show sometime after she sees you perform your amazing songs," the redhead said, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm just happy that my mom is coming," Beca said, smiling at the redhead, giving her a nod in appreciation of her trying to make the conversation a bit happier.

"Me too, I think we're going to blow her away," Benji added, patting his friend on the shoulder.

"I hope we do. I really want to impress her tonight. If I do, it might get her on-board with my plan to go to LA after graduation," Beca said, running her fingers through her hair and taking a deep breath. "Of course, then I'll have to deal with my dad, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," the brunette added.

"I'm excited for you Beca, knock em' dead," Chicago said, smiling. "I wish I could come tonight but we have an away game."

"So that's why Chloe's wearing your jersey, I completely forgot it was game day," Beca said with a laugh. "Good luck though, man. Hopefully the football team kicks some ass while 'Trio' rocks the stage tonight."

"Oh, we're definitely going to kick ass tonight, just like I know you guys are going to rock the stage tonight," Chicago said with a chuckle. "I have no doubt in my mind that we're going to win this game. We've beaten this team before, and we're gonna do it again."

"I wish I could come and watch you play babe. I hate that they don't let the cheerleaders come to your away games," Chloe said, frowning for a moment. "But I'll be cheering for you from 'Trio's' concert," She said, leaning and kissing Chic on lips, making Beca cringe and look down.

A few moments later, Allison walked up to their table. "Hey guys, how's it going?" The blonde asked in a friendly voice. She then turned to Beca, smiling at her girlfriend. "Hey, babe," she said, her voice a little quieter this time. The blonde then leaned in and gave the brunette a quick peck on the lips, this time making Chloe the one who cringed a little.

"Hey," Beca responded with a smile. She then put her arm around Allison and then turned back to the rest of the table. "We were just talking about how my mom is coming to concert tonight. So you'll get to meet her," Beca said, tracing shapes on her shoulder.

"Oh, that's cool. I'm excited to meet her," Allison said, her smile growing wider. Then, her smile faltered a little. "What if your mom doesn't like me?" The blonde asked, a worried look on her face.

"Are you kidding?" Beca said, tucking her girlfriend's hair back. "You're amazing, Alli," She stated. "When she sees how happy you make me, that'll be enough," Beca then leaned in and gave Allison a reassuring kiss on the cheek, making the rest of the table around them say "Awe."

Allison smiled and blushed, looking down. "Thanks, Becs. I appreciate it," she said, reaching for one of Beca's hands and taking it in her own, intertwining their fingers as well.

"Well, I mean it," Beca said before kissing Allison's hand and turning to the rest of her group.

Chloe tried her best to look happy for the two of them, but she was finding it hard to smile at the moment. "Excuse me a moment, I have to use the ladies room." She said, getting up so she could walk away and leave the conversation for a moment. Beca watched her leave for a moment then returned to eating her lunch.

Later that day, Chloe was walking Chicago to the football team's bus. "Are you nervous?" She asked.

Chicago shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, I'm always a little nervous before games but I'm feeling pretty confident about tonight, so the nerves aren't really affecting me," he answered.

"I wish I could come and watch, I just promised Beca I'd go watch the concert tonight." Chloe said sighing and tucking her hair back as they walked to the team bus.

"Wow, I can't believe you're choosing my best friend over me," Chicago said in a sarcastic and teasing voice. "I'm so hurt. I don't know what I'm going to with myself now."

The redhead teasingly slapped his arms, chuckling and smiling at her boyfriend. "I've been at every single game, babe." She stated, leaning her head to one side. "I'll give you a good luck charm if you want."

Chicago raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "I have to admit that I'm intrigued by the offer. What exactly is this good luck charm, if I may ask?"

"It's this." Chloe said, wrapping her arms around Chic's neck and leaning in to give him a soft but deep kiss.

Chicago smiled and wrapped his arms around Chloe's waist, embracing his girlfriend tightly as they kissed. His smile only grew wider when their lips parted. "I like that good luck charm," the boy said with a little chuckle.

"I knew you would, now get going or you're going to miss your bus." Chloe said, patting his shoulder before kissing him one more time. "I don't think they want to leave without their star captain." She said once she pulled away.

"Yeah, that wouldn't be good. Not to brag or anything, but I'm not sure that they'd win if they left me behind," Chicago said, smiling at Chloe before turning and getting on the bus. He waved at her as the bus drove away, smiling and blowing a kiss to her so she could catch it.

Chloe smiled and caught his kiss as she watched him leave, blowing a kiss back to him. She then turned around and headed to her car.

Once she got to the parking lot, she saw Beca and Allison by Beca's car. The blonde girl was sitting on the hood while she and Beca locked lips. Beca pulled back and smiled, leaning her forehead against Allison's while her hands rested on the girl's waist. Chloe couldn't help but cringe just like she had earlier when she saw the two kiss. The redhead didn't know why, but there was just something that put her off whenever she saw the two of them together. _Don't be ridiculous, Chloe. Let Beca be happy. She hasn't been this happy in a long time,_ Chloe scolded herself in her head as she turned away and started walking towards her own car.

Beca smiled at Allison, tucking her hair back. "You're look really good in my jacket, did you know that?" She asked, kissing her lips again.

Allison smiled and gazed into Beca's eyes. "I actually didn't know that, but I'm glad you told me. Now that gives me an excuse to wear your jacket all the time," she replied with a cute giggle.

"I don't mind that at all." Beca said, smiling softly. The girl then bit back a blush on her cheeks. "You know, I haven't been this happy in a really long time. And it's all because of you."

Allison also tried to keep herself from blushing, but was unsuccessful. "You make me really happy too, Becs. I know we've only been dating for a few weeks, but this is the happiest that I've been for a really long time."

"Same," Beca said nodding in response. They then shared one more kiss before Beca pulled her off the hood of her car. "I'll see you tonight, okay?" She said.

"Okay," Allison said, smiling and embracing Beca for a few moments. "I can't wait to see you perform tonight, and I also can't wait to meet your mom."

"She's going to adore you." Beca murmured, placing a soft kiss on the girls neck. "Just like I do." Beca said before kissing her and letting her walk to her car. "I'll see you tonight, babe."

"Yeah, I'll see you then," Allison said, smiling as her girlfriend walked away. The blonde then got in her car and drove home to get ready for Beca's show later that evening.

Beca went home as well, smiling when Henry and Hailee came running out to her once she parked her car in the driveway. "Hey guys, how was school?"

"Fun, I made a flower out of playdough during art!" Hailee said, showing it to her older sister.

"Wow! That's awesome Haiz!" Beca said enthusiastically towards her little sister. "What did you make Henry?" She asked turning to her younger brother.

"I made a dinosaur!" He said, holding it up for her sister to see. "It's a T-Rex!"

"Wow, that's really impressive! I'm so proud of you two," Beca said, smiling and hugging her two younger siblings. "Come on, let's go inside and watch some cartoons. Does that sound good?"

The twins nodded and turned to run into the house. Beca smiled and then grabbed her bag, following them inside. She turned on the TV for them and then grabbed an apple for herself, before sitting down next in a chair next to the couch the twins were sitting on. She took a bite out of her apple and then took out her phone, sending a text message to Allison.

 **Beca:** Hey babe, can I see what you're wearing tonight? I want a pic ;)

The two of them had gotten to the point where they were sending dirty texts and sexy photos to each other. Needless to say, they were getting pretty comfortable with one another. Now in their makeout sessions, at least one of them would end up topless before they had to stop.

A few minutes later, Beca's phone buzzed with a reply from Allison. The brunette smirked as she unlocked her phone and read the message.

 **Allison:** Here's what I'll be wearing tonight, baby. How do I look? By the way, I want a pic from you too ;)

Along with the text was a picture of Allison wearing ripped jeans and a crop top. This made Beca whistle a little and smirk even more, and she typed quickly back a response.

 **Beca:** You look super hot, babe. I'll send a pic of what I'm wearing a little later ;) Does that sound good?

 **Allison:** Sure thing babe ;p

Beca smiled as she continued to look at the picture of Allison. She bit her lip as she checked the girl out, admiring the girl's dancer form. Allison was toned and lean, but she wasn't too skinny. She was a healthy and strong teenage girl, and Beca did admire that about the girl. And oh did Beca fantasize doing things to her.

After watching cartoons with the twins for about a half hour, Beca decided that it was time to start getting ready for the show. The brunette went upstairs to her room and opened her closet, looking at all the different outfits she had. _Hmmm. Which one should I choose?_ She thought to herself.

The brunette ended up picking a black blazer with a gray shirt to put on under it and some ripped, light blue skinny jeans with brown combat boots. She then took a picture of herself in the mirror and sent it to Allison, adding a caption with it.

 **Beca:** So, do I look like a band member that you'd bang all through the night? ;)

 **Allison:** Of course you do, baby. Then again, you always look so hot, so I always want to bang you ;)

Beca blushed very hard when she read Allison's reply, and she couldn't help but smirk as she quickly typed out a response.

 **Beca:** Oh really? You always want to bang me? ;)

After a moment Allison responded, and her response made Beca's devious smirk grow wider. She bit her lip and smiled as she read it to herself.

 **Allison:** I'm think about having my way with you right now…And yes, I always want to do you. Have you ever looked in a mirror before, babe? ;p

 **Beca:** Well then, maybe I can show you a real good time tonight after the show.

 **Allison:** Yeah, I'd really like that ;)

Just then, there was a knock at Beca's door. "Come in," the brunette said, not looking up from her phone as the door opened and her mother walked in. She then glanced up and saw her mom standing there. "Oh, hey Mom. What's up?"

"Hey, sweetie." Cala Mitchell said, smiling at her daughter before walking over and sitting on the side of her bed. "I just wanted to know what sort of outfit I should wear to your show tonight. I don't have to dress super fancy do I?" She asked sweetly. The woman really wanted to support her daughter in any way she could, and she truly was excited to see Beca perform later that night.

Beca smiled at her mom and shook her head. "No, you don't have to wear anything fancy. Just wear whatever you want," she replied. "Are you excited to see the show tonight?"

"Oh yes, darling. I am very, very excited to see you perform. I know you're going to blow me away." Cala said, smiling at her daughter and patting her girl's knee. "I'm also excited to meet this girl you've been dating. You said her name is Allison?"

Beca nodded and smiled. "Yeah, her name's Allison. She's on the school dance team. She's really sweet, and I think that you're gonna like her," the brunette said to her mother.

"Well, I'm excited to meet her sweetheart." Cala said, kissing her daughter's forehead. "I'll go get ready, I can't wait for you to perform tonight sweetie." She stated kindly before leaving the room.

Cala drove Beca to the venue, which was a nice little spot called "Bar Chord Hall," Beca told her mom to come backstage so she wouldn't have to pay for a ticket, and so she could say hi to everyone in the band.

"So, I'm sure that you remember Jesse and Benji. I don't know how you could forget them," Beca said with a chuckle as she lead her mother backstage.

"Of course I remember them, sweetie. You three have been friends since first grade," Cala replied with a smile.

"Hey Mrs. Mitchell!" Benji said as they walked into the dress room for the band. "It's really good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too, Benji," Cala replied, smiling at her daughter's friend. "I can't believe how grown up you are. It seems like just yesterday that you and Beca and Jesse were playing tag on the playground after school."

"Well, we hope that you enjoy the show." Jesse said smiling and hugging Cala after Benji did. "It's supposed to be sold out tonight."

"Really? That's awesome. How many people usually come to your shows?" Cala asked.

"Well, sold out is about seven hundred people." Jesse stated, smiling. "So usually that amount."

"Some of the other venues that we've played can fit at least a thousand people." Beca added, smiling. "But this is my favorite venue. The fans always go nuts here."

Cala smiled and teared up a little as Beca talked, admiring the passion that her daughter had for music. "Well then, it seems like you guys are quite the rockstars. I can't wait to see you perform tonight. I bet you guys are going to be amazing."

Just then, Allison walked into the room. "Hey everyone!" She said smiling excitedly before walking over to Beca, who gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, you look really beautiful." Beca whispered before turning to face her mother. "Mom, this is my girlfriend Allison. Allison, this is my mom Cala."

Allison smiled at Cala and held her hand out so the older woman could shake it. "It's nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Mitchell. Beca's told me a lot about you."

"It's nice to finally meet you too, Allison. Beca has told me a lot about you as well." Cala said, smiling widely. "She said you've been a fan of the band since they started."

Allison smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I've been a fan since their first show during freshman year. It's amazing to see how far they've come since then," she said, still smiling as she looked from Cala to Beca.

"Well, I can't wait to see them perform." Cala said before the lights in the room began to blink.

"That means the show is about to start," Beca said. "You guys should go and find your seats."

Cala smiled and gave her daughter a hug before she left the dressing room. "I'm so proud of you, sweetie. I'm so, so proud," she whispered in Beca's ear.

Beca smiled at her mother's words and hugged the woman back with equal love. "I'll see you after the show." She stated. She then turned to kiss Allison quickly. "I hope you two enjoy the show."

 **Hey guys! We hope you enjoyed the chapter. It would've been up sooner but we have been pretty busy these last couple weeks. Hopefully the next one will be up soon. It seems like Chloe is starting to feel things for Beca. Let's see if she can figure out if the new love song Beca wrote is about her! And YAY! Beca's mother is at the concert! Stay tuned!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	11. Chapter 11: A New Song To Sing

Chapter 11: A New Song To Sing

The crowd went wild as Trio stepped out on stage. "Hey everyone!" Beca said into the microphone. "How are you all doing tonight?" She was met with a huge roar of cheers and screams. She smiled at Allison, her mom, and her group of friends which included Emily, Stacie, Aubrey and Chloe. "Tonight is a very special night. Tonight is the first show that my mom has come to. To celebrate, I'm going to perform a new song that we've been working on. Does that sound good?" Once again she was met with a loud wave of cheers. "Alright, this one is called 'Wild Heart.'" The band then began to play and Beca smiled as the crowd started swaying to the rhythm of the song.

"Wild Heart"- Bleachers

"They closed the parkway late last night.

And as I sat with the echoes of lies that I told.

I felt young, never changed by crooked hearts.

So put the shotgun back in the glove.

Come on and wait another year for dream far away.

To come home, to be brave.

Well everything has changed

And now it's only you that matters

I will find any way to your wild heart."

Beca smiled as some people in the crowd took out their phones and turned on their flashlights, waving them in the air as they swayed back and forth. The brunette played the guitar for a few moments before going into the next part of the song.

"They boarded up the windows and the doors to my house.

No one will ever read the letters or the lies that I told.

From the years I was changed by crooked hearts  
Why did they have to go and do us like that?Why did they have to go and run from the dream far away?

Were we there? Was I brave?

To think everything must die for anyone to matter.

I've got to find any way to your wild heart.

I will find any way to your wild heart.

I will find any way to your wild heart.

Well, everything has changed and now I can't tell what matters.

I will find any way to your wild heart, your wild heart.

Your wild heart, your wild heart.

Your wild heart, your wild heart.

Your wild heart, your wild heart."

As the song ended, the crowd cheered. Beca smiled and looked at her bandmates before turning back to the crowd. She spotted her mother cheering and clapping. Beca couldn't help but feel a couple tears welling up in her eyes, finally she had a parent here. It meant the world to Beca to have her mom here. It wasn't because Cala could possibly persuade her father to let Beca go to LA; it just felt good to know at least one of her family members was supporting her.

Later in the show, the group was almost done with their set. They only had a couple songs left to perform and Beca was about to sing the one she'd written for the mystery girl. She stepped up to the microphone and pulled on her electric guitar. "Alright guys, so this is a new song. It's a love song that's little different from the songs we usually perform. This is a song that talks about loving someone who may never love you back. We've all been there," she said with a chuckle. "So, here's our new song. It's called 'Flower.'"

Benji began to play a beautiful little tune on his acoustic guitar before Beca stepped up to the microphone and started to sing.

Flower- by Cody Simpson

"I know I'll never be the apple of your eye,

But I'll pick you a flower, if you like.

I know I'll never be the stars up in your sky,

But I'll pick you a flower, if you like.

She loves me, she loves not.

She says she loves me.

Has she forgotten that she loves me?

Love me one more time.

I know I'll never be the apple of your eye,

But I'll pick you a flower, if you like."

Beca smiled as the crowd swayed to the song, watching a certain redhead specifically. The brunette was curious if the redhead was figuring all of this out. That it was her who the song was for, and that even though Beca was happy with Allison, Chloe would always be the girl in the back of Beca's mind.

"Cause I meet you down by the side of the road

Where the sunset glows and the garden grows.

I got one pair of shoes with twenty holes in the toes.

And I would walk twenty miles just to get to those blue eyes.

If you will smile for me to my surprise,

I would stay for a while to see what comes next.

Or we could take off our clothes and have

Long conversations in French, uh-huh, uh-huh.

I know I'll never be the apple of your eye.

But I'll pick you a flower, if you like.

I know I'll never be the stars up in your sky.

But I'll pick you a flower, if you like

"Let's go."

As Beca strummed the guitar, playing the solo perfectly as the crowd cheered and clapped a little but then went quiet again, continuing to sway back and forth with the music. Beca briefly glanced at Chloe before looking to her mother and then Allison, smiling at her girlfriend before starting to sing again.

"Roses are red, violets are blue.

But it's true, I'd be too if I don't have you.

So I just chill up on the hill picking daffodils,

Making wishes about you missus.

Because I know I'll never be the apple of your eye,

But I'll pick you a flower."

As she strummed the final chord of the song, the crowd went wild for the song. Beca looked over at her mother, who was cheering for her daughter louder than anyone else. She then looked at Allison, biting her lip and winking at the girl.

While Beca was looking the other way, Chloe stood there. Entranced by Beca's song, she tried to put together who the mystery girl may be. During the song, whenever Beca looked her way, Chloe couldn't help but feel a shudder of butterflies flapping in her stomach.

The redhead watched as Beca stood up on the stage and gazed at Allison. There was a slight twinge in her stomach once again as she watched this, but the redhead pushed those feelings away. There was no need for her to be jealous of Allison. The blonde made Beca happy, and Chloe had Chicago anyways. So why was she feeling this way?

After the concert was over, Beca had the rest of their friend group and her mom come backstage. "Great show tonight, you three!" Aubrey said, smiling before hugging each of them individually, hanging onto Jesse a bit longer.

"Great show, babe," Emily said, kissing Benji quickly on the lips and giving him a hug.

"You looked so sexy up there tonight, babe," Allison said, smiling and kissing Beca once she got backstage. Beca smiled and leaned into the kiss a little, resting her hands on Allison's waist as she did so.

The two girls were interrupted by Cala clearing her throat. They broke apart, and Beca looked down shyly as she began to blush. "Sorry about that, Mom."

Cala chuckled and shook her head. "I was just kidding with you, sweetie," she said, walking forward and hugging her daughter tightly. "You were incredible up there tonight. Words can't describe how proud of you I am," the woman whispered in her daughter's ear.

"You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that, Mom," Beca mumbled against her mother's shirt as the two of them embraced. "All I've really ever wanted was to have you and or Dad come to my shows. I know I was difficult at times, but I just wanted to prove to you that me going to LA wasn't a pointless hope to have."

"And it's not a pointless hope to have. You're incredibly talented, sweetie. You proved that tonight while you were performing your heart out up on that stage," Cala said, smiling and looking at her daughter fondly. "You going to LA is nowhere near a pointless hope. You have what it takes to make it in the big world, and while I am scared for you to leave the nest and go off on your own, I know that you're going to do great things."

"Thank you mom, thank you so much," Beca said, hugging her mother once again before putting her arm around Allison.

Chloe then came in to congratulate the band on a successful performance. "You guys were amazing!" She said, giving everyone hugs before turning to Beca and Allison. "Beca, those new songs were incredible. I don't know how you do it."

The brunette smiled at the redhead. "Thank you," she said, blushing a little bit. "Writing 'Flower' was one of harder songs to write, but I'm glad you enjoyed the show."

"Saying that I enjoyed the show is an understatement. I loved every minute of it. You were amazing up there, Beca. And saying that you were just amazing is also an understatement," Cala replied.

"I have to agree with your mother on that one," Chloe said, smiling at Beca. "You shine brighter than anyone I know Beca," She stated genuinely.

"Thank you," Beca said. A small smile spread across her face as she and Chloe shared a moment of just looking at each other. Man, Beca had it bad for her. And she wondered if Chloe had figured out that "Flower" was about her.

Later that night, everyone went to the Mitchell house for a party hosted by Cala. Chloe watched Beca and Allison throughout the night, feeling her heart wrench every time the two girls kissed or did something else that was coupley.

Beca was currently kissing Allison's neck. "You look so hot right now, babe," She whispered in Allison's ear. Her hand ran along the girl's thigh smoothly. "I've been imagining doing all the things I want to do to you," She said, rubbing two fingers on the backside of Allison's 's knee.

Allison moaned softly at this, biting down on her lip to keep herself as quiet as possible. "What things do you want to do to me?" She asked the brunette, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I want to do things to you that'll make you scream my name," Beca whispered before nibbling on Allison's earlobe, knowing that would give her girlfriend a good idea of what Beca wanted.

Chloe saw them whispering to each other, she had only kept her eyes on Beca this whole time. Why was she suddenly so concerned with Beca relationship with Allison, that was something she couldn't figure out. She wanted Beca to be happy, but at the same time she couldn't bring herself to watch Beca and Allison together.

Allison closed her eyes and turned her head to the side so Beca had better access as she moved her lips from her earlobe to her neck. "Mmm, I think I know what you mean now," the blonde murmured.

"Do you want to head up to my room and leave these guys for awhile?" Beca asked, her chest heaving fairly noticeably as lust started spreading throughout her body. Her two fingers continued to rub against the back of Allison's knee as she spoke.

Allison hesitated for a moment, looking around the room at the others. "I don't know if your friends will notice that we're gone, but what about your mom?" The blonde said, turning back to face Beca.

"She's going out to get the pizza, so she won't be back for at least thirty minutes," Beca whispered, smirking. "If you don't want to, that's okay. But if you do want to, now is our chance," She said, leaning in and kissing Allison on the cheek.

Allison smiled and then stood up, taking Beca's hand and walking out of the living room. As soon as they were in the hallway, the blonde pulled the brunette closer and they began kissing as they made their way upstairs to Beca's bedroom.

Chloe was the only one to notice when Beca and Allison left the room, and she could feel her gut dropping as if she were on a rollercoaster. She got up to go out to the back deck, breathing in the fresh air as she tried to figure out why she got so uncomfortable when she was around Beca and Allison. She wasn't homophobic, and she wanted Beca to be happy, so why was she feeling this way?

Back inside, Emily looked away from the TV show that she, Benji, Jesse, and Aubrey were watching and saw that Chloe was no longer in the room with them. "Hey, where's Chloe?" Emily whispered to Benji, who was sitting beside her on the couch with his arm around her shoulder.

"I don't know. Maybe she went to the bathroom," Benji whispered back, rubbing her shoulder. "You can go look for her if you want."

Emily stood up and went to go look for the redhead. She raised her eyebrow when she saw Chloe sitting in a chair on the back deck, looking up at the stars. "Hey," Emily said as she walked out to join her. "What are you doing out here all by your lonesome?"

Chloe didn't hear the door open, so she was startled by Emily and jumped a little. The redhead then chuckled a little as the other girl sat down next to her before looking back up at the night sky. "Nothing much, really. I just wanted to get some fresh air."

"Oh, okay," Emily said with a nod her head. "Yeah, it is pretty crowded in there. I can see why you needed to get out for a moment," She then took a deep breath and looked up at the stars. "How are things with Chicago going?" She asked. "You two have been together for about two months now, right?"

Chloe nodded her head, a small smile spreading across her face. "Things are going great. How's it going with Benji?" The redhead asked.

"Amazing, actually. He's so sweet. We're going to try long distance when he goes off to college, so hopefully that works," Emily stated, leaning back against her chair. "The concert tonight was great, wasn't it? Beca certainly knows how to write songs. Which one was your favorite?"

"All of the songs are so good. I don't know if I can pick a favorite," Chloe said, shrugging her shoulders. "I did like that new song she played tonight. I don't know if I've ever heard her play a song like that before."

"Yeah, it was different, but it was beautiful. I really loved her lyrics, they were so clever. I have to say, 'Flower' has to be one of my new favorite songs," She said, smiling. "I know that it was about the mystery girl."

These words made Chloe raise an eyebrow. "Really? You think it's about the mystery girl? I didn't think that was a thing anymore," she said.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but Allison has hazel eyes. In the song, one of the lines talks about walking twenty miles to get to those blue eyes. Obviously, it was about the mystery girl. While Allison is great, Beca told me that the mystery girl is still on her mind," Emily said. Of course, she knew that the mystery girl was Chloe, since Beca told her at the Halloween party almost a month ago.

"Huh. I guess Allison not being the mystery girl does make sense now that I think about it," Chloe said, running her fingers through her hair. "But if Allison isn't the mystery girl, then who could it possibly be?"

"I've known for awhile now who it is, Beca told me at Halloween," Emily said, biting her lip. "She is in our friend group."

"Is it you?" Chloe asked.

"No, it's not me," Emily said with a chuckle. "I have brown eyes, and I'm much too tall for Beca's taste. The tallest girl she's ever made a move on was five-foot-six."

Chloe scratched the back of her head as she thought about Emily's words. "I just don't know who it could be. I mean, Aubrey has blue eyes, but her and Beca don't get along at all. It's not Stacie, it's not Cynthia Rose, and it's not you. Is there some other girl in the friend group that I haven't met yet?"

Emily sighed, shaking her head. "No, you know all of them," She stated. "Beca is a rather private person, she doesn't like to interfere with other people's lives very much. Which is why she hasn't told everyone who the mystery girl is; but if it's not Stacie, Cynthia Rose, Aubrey or me, there's really only one other girl in the group," Emily said.

As soon as Emily said that, realization hit Chloe like a freight train. "The only other girl in the group is me…" She trailed off, piecing everything together in her mind. "And the mystery girl is in our friend group. So that means I'm the mystery girl?"

"Yes," Emily said, nodding her head softly. "You can't say anything though, Beca would kill me she found out that I told you. She didn't tell you for two reasons: one, she knows you're not gay. And two, because she didn't want to hurt Chicago because she knows how much he loves you. That's why she's been keeping the true identity of the mystery girl a secret. All those new love songs? They're about you, Chloe."

"Wow, okay. This is a lot to take in," Chloe said, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes. "So she's in love with me? And she's still in love with me, even though she's dating Allison now?"

"Jesse told me Allison is mainly a reason to get over you, he's the only other one who knows," Emily stated, nodding her head a little. "Beca's been wrecking herself because she hated the fact that she fell for her best friend's girlfriend. Jesse set her up with Allison to try and help her move on, but you're still on her mind," Emily said, shrugging her shoulders.

Chloe tilted her head a little and raised her other eyebrow. "So, she's using Allison to get over me? That's kinda shitty, don't you think?" The redhead asked.

"Well, she's not leading Allison on. Beca's feelings for Allison are completely genuine. Beca just knows she can't ever have you, so she's doing what she can to try and move on," Emily said, standing up. "I know it seems shitty of her, but some people are really hard to move on from," She stated before heading back to the door. "I'm gonna head back inside, you coming?"

"Yeah, I'll come back inside in a few minutes. I just need a little more time to collect my thoughts. Go ahead, you don't need to wait for me," Chloe said. Once Emily had left, Chloe closed her eyes and sighed. Everything made so much sense now that she knew the identity of the mystery girl, but something about the whole situation just didn't feel right. It seemed that Beca wasn't really trying to move on from her, even if she was with Allison.

Chloe thought about what Beca had said earlier that night at the concert when she introduced the song 'Flower.' She said that it was about loving someone who didn't return the feelings. Chloe sat there, knowing that Beca had wrote those songs for her and wondering if Allison knew that those songs weren't about her. _Because of this, everything is now way more complicated. What the hell am I supposed to do now?_

Up in Beca's room, the brunette had Allison straddling her. They were only clad in their underwear and bras now, and Beca could feel her heart racing. Allison leaned down and kissed her lips softly before moving her lips down Beca's neck, making the brunette moan. "Mmm, baby. That feels really nice."

"I bet it does," Allison whispered back with a smirk, leaving a small hickey near her girlfriend's collarbone.

"You're so damn beautiful," Beca whispered as she leaned up against the headboard of her bed. She leaned forward and began placing kisses all over Allison's shoulder and collarbone. Her nails softly scratched against Allison's lower back, and she moved down underneath the girl's underwear, squeezing her bum softly. "I don't how how I got so lucky to have you be my girlfriend."

"And I don't know how I got so lucky to be your girlfriend," Allison whispered back, a soft moan falling from her lips when Beca squeezed her bum. "You make me so happy, Becs."

Beca nipped her girlfriend's skin softly, holding the girl close and then reaching up to unclasp Allison's bra, letting it fall to the floor and out of her hands. "I can't get over how sexy you are," She said, flipping them over so she was in top of Allison. She then massaged one of the girl's breasts and sucked on the other one with her smooth lips.

This caused Allison to moan again, this time louder and longer. "Fuck, Beca," she whimpered, biting down on her lip. "I'm trying to be quiet and you're making this really hard," the blonde mumbled under her breath.

"But it's so hot to hear you moan, baby," Beca said, switching to her other breast to suck on it softly while flicking her tongue around her nipple. "I know you like it, Alli," She whispered, smirking widely.

"How could I not?" Allison moaned, pushing Beca's head down closer to her skin and slightly arching her back. "You're so damn good at this, baby."

"Mmmm, thank you," Beca said as she kissed down Allison's body and then back up to her neck, where she began to suck on the blonde girl's skin roughly while she began to grind their hips against each other. "Shit, that feels good."

Allison moaned in response, running her hands up and down Beca's back. The blonde's fingernails digged into her skin, leaving small scratches. "Fuck, Beca!" She called out, no longer worried about staying quiet.

As the two of them got lost in each other's bodies, Beca couldn't help but picture herself doing this to Chloe. She wasn't trying to imagine the redhead at all; in fact, this was the first time Beca had ever thought of Chloe while she and Allison were getting intimate. Beca shook her head a little focused back on Allison and not Chloe, nipping at the girl's neck once again. It didn't work though, as Beca continued imagining that Chloe was in Allison's place.

Allison could tell that there was something off with Beca, so she gently pushed Beca's head away from her skin. "Hey. Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, yeah," Beca said, nodding her head to reassure Allison. "It's alright, don't worry about it," Beca answered before leaning down and kissing Allison softly on the lips, and she began grinding her hips against Allison's once again.

As time passed, Beca only imagined Chloe more and more. The brunette wasn't doing a very good job of hiding the fact that something was bothering her, as Allison stopped again to ask her if everything was alright. "I'm fine, babe. I told you not to worry about me," she said irritably, closing her eyes moving her lips from Allison's lips to her neck.

Suddenly, Beca opened her eyes and saw Chloe's red hair instead of Allison's blonde hair. Beca moaned softly and kissed the girl's neck roughly. "Oh Beca," she heard Chloe's voice. "Fuck me," Chloe said.

Beca groaned at this and began to trail her hands along Chloe's bars legs. "You're so beautiful," She whispered in Chloe's ear. "I've been wanting to do this with you for so long," She mumbled as she kissed Chloe's collarbone and then back up behind her ear.

"So have I, baby," Chloe whispered back, moaning as Beca kissed her neck. The redhead turned her head to the side, giving the brunette better access to her neck. "Oh fuck! Beca!"

The young musician's hand was in Chloe's underwear, where she began to toy around and make the girl underneath her moan. "Do you like that baby?" Beca mumbled, sucking a hickey into her neck.

"I love it, baby. Keep doing that," Chloe moaned, pushing Beca's head down closer to her skin. Chloe continued to moan, spurring Beca on. As the brunette left a trail of hickeys on her skin, Chloe whispered softly to her. "Say my name, baby."

Beca whimpered at the hot sensation of Chloe's breath on her neck. "Oh fuck, Chloe," She moaned as she continued to give her lover pleasure, however it soon came to an abrupt stop and Beca came back into her senses.

Beca opened her eyes again and was looking down at Allison, who had a confused look on her face. "Chloe?" The blonde said, moving away from the brunette. "Why did you just moan Chloe's name?"

"What?" Beca said, honestly trying to avoiding answering Allison's question. _Shit_ , she thought to herself. she was in it deep now. Of course, words were getting stuck in Beca's throat just when she needed them most. "I-I… Just let me explain-"

"I will let you explain. I want you to explain why you moaned another girl's name, another girl who isn't your girlfriend!" Allison said angrily, raising her voice and crossing her arms.

"Look, Allison, it was just a stupid mistake. I don't know why I said it, but it-" Beca trailed off, not knowing how to end that sentence. The brunette wanted to say it didn't mean anything, but she knew that wasn't true. Plus, Allison would call bullshit on her if she tried to use that as an excuse.

"But it what?" Allison asked, wanting Beca to finish the sentence. "You asked me to let you explain and I'm letting you explain. Finish the sentence, Beca!"

"It's not a big deal, okay? Like I said, it was just a stupid mistake," Beca stated, trying calm Allison down by placing her hand on top of Allison's.

"Were you thinking about her?" Allison asked, pulling her hand away from Beca's. The "her" she was referring to was Chloe, and Beca froze on the spot, not wanting to answer the question but not wanting to lie to her girlfriend.

"Allison-" Beca began before she was cut off by the girl sitting in front of her.

"Answer the damn question, Beca! Were you thinking about Chloe?" Allison snapped, a harsh glare in her eyes. "Have you always been thinking about Chloe when we're together?"

"No! I swear to God that this hasn't ever happened before tonight!" Beca said, throwing her hands up in defense.

"So you were thinking about her!" Allison said, even more upset once Beca finally answered her question. The blonde girl looked away from Beca, unable to keep eye contact with her girlfriend.

"Yes, okay? I was thinking about her!" Beca said, a wave of guilt washing over her when Allison turned away from her. "Babe, look at me please," She begged. "It won't happen again."

"How do I know that you're telling the truth? How do I know I can trust you?" Allison fired back, tears welling up in her eyes. "I can't be certain that it won't happen again if it's happened before."

"Baby, please don't cry," Beca said, cupping Allison's cheeks with her hands only to have the girl push them away.

"I really thought you were falling for me," Allison said with a sniffle, standing up and beginning to put her clothes back on.

"Don't go, Allison," Beca said, tearing up as well. "Don't go, please. I messed up, but I swear that what I feel for you is genuine. I haven't been this happy in a long time. Please stay, Alli," Beca then got up and pulled Allison into a kiss.

To her surprise, Allison found herself leaning into the kiss a little, but she broke the kiss and moved away from Beca once she realized what she was doing. "I can't stay, Beca," Allison said sadly, walking towards the bedroom door. "I can't stay here and pretend like everything's fine, because it's not. I can't stay here and pretend like I'm fine, because I'm not."

Beca followed her out, pulling a shirt and sweatpants on as she did so. "Come on, Allison. We can fix this, I'm sorry. I know what I did was stupid," She said as Allison walked down the stairs.

Everyone else, including Chloe who had just walked back inside from the front deck, had heard their voices and saw Beca following Allison, pleading and practically on her knees to get Allison to stay. "Alli, please don't go. Let me fix this," Beca said, tearing up even more. "Let me fix this, please. You have no idea how happy you've made me. I can't lose you."

"Just stop, Beca," Allison said, shaking her head at the brunette. "You're making this harder than it needs to be. It's obvious that I'm not the one you want to be with. Stop lying to me and saying that I am."

"I'm not lying! The person I wanted is someone I'd never be able to have! I want you!" Beca said, following her to the door. "Alli-" That sentence was interrupted by Allison slamming the door in Beca's face as she walked out of her house. Beca just stood there, in shock of everything that had just happened. The brunette slowly slid down to the floor, running her fingers through her hair then holding her head in her hands. _Man, I really screwed up this time_ , she thought to herself.

Everyone just sat there in silence, not knowing what to do or say as Beca sat there before them. Chloe stood there and watched on with everyone else, hating the sight of Beca crying. She hadn't ever seen it happen before, but she didn't like it, not in the slightest.

Beca looked up and saw everyone but Chloe, who had gone back out on the porch, staring at her. "What the fuck are you guys looking at?" She yelled, standing up and wiping her tears. "Everyone needs to leave, now!" She screamed. "Get out! The show's over!"

Just then, Cala got home from the pizza shop. The woman had seen Allison run out of the house and slam the door behind her, so she quickly got out of her car and went inside. "Beca, is everything okay? Why did Allison just leave?"

"It's nothing," Beca said before storming up to her room and slamming the door behind her.

Everyone but Chloe did as Beca had asked and got up from their seats on the couch to leave. Once they were all gone, Chloe walked over to Cala. "Let me go talk to her. I think I might be able to help."

"Okay, sweetie. Let me know if you need anything," Cala said before nodding for Chloe to go upstairs to Beca's room and try to figure out what happened.

"Go away!" Beca said when she heard a knock on her door. She was sitting at the keyboard, hoping that playing a song would distract her. It was difficult for her to focus given what had just happened. There was another knock. "I don't want to talk right now," She said before sniffing, her were eyes red and she had a headache from crying. There was a brief moment of silence before there was another knock on the door. "I said go away!"

"Beca, it's me," Chloe said in a soft voice. She put her hand on the doorknob and turned it, pushing the door open slowly. "Can I come in?"

"Well it's obvious that you're going to keep knocking until I let in," Beca said, not turning from the piano. "So yeah you can come in, but don't expect me to talk," She stated as she began playing a couple different chord progressions on the keyboard.

Chloe opened the door all the way and walked inside, closing it behind her. She walked over and sat down on Beca's bed, looking down at the floor. "I'm sorry about what happened earlier. I was outside, so I only heard a little bit of the fight, but I'm sorry that it happened," the redhead said quietly.

"I'm such a fucking prick," Beca said, lifting her fingers off of the keys. "I had such a good thing going with Allison. It was almost perfect. Just once, I'd like for my relationships to work. I got cheated on with Olivia, and now I broke Allison's heart," She said, putting her head in her hands. "Someone must think that I don't deserve a great love story. Every single time I think that maybe things are going to work out, I find some way to screw it up. I mean, Olivia must not have felt like I was treating her right, and now I said someone else's name while Allison and I were having sex. Maybe I don't deserve to be happy."

"You deserve to be happy, Beca. Everybody deserves to be happy. Maybe this is just the universe's way of telling you that you haven't found the right person to be happy with yet," Chloe said, trying to get Beca to stay optimistic. "Sure, you made a mistake, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve to be happy or that you're never going to find love."

"Sure, that's easy for you to say. The entire time I've known you, you've been single for a total of sixty minutes," Beca said, shaking her head and sighing. After a moment of silence between the two, the brunette spoke again. "Why do you think I write music all the time?"

"Because you love it," Chloe answered.

"Yes, I do write it because I love it, but it's also an escape that pulls me away from all the problems in my life," Beca stated. "My dad won't even talk to me about LA, my first love cheated on me, and I just broke Allison's heart because I'm a fucking idiot. Music isn't just my passion, it's my escape."

Chloe nodded her head as Beca talked. "Yeah, music helps me escape too. Sometimes I'll be having a bad day and I'll listen to music to help me feel better," Chloe said, looking up from the floor and making eye contact with Beca. "It's hard to explain, but music just has this healing power that really works."

"Yeah, music is amazing that way," Beca stated, gazing at both Chloe's lips and eyes as the girl spoke. When she was about to get caught she turned away, looking back at her keyboard. "I fucked up, Chlo. And it's all because I can't get y-" she stopped for a moment, not wanting to give herself away. Beca didn't know that Chloe now knew she was the mystery girl. "It's all because I can't get the mystery girl out of my head."

Chloe looked down when Beca said that, not knowing how to respond. She knew that she was the mystery girl, but she didn't know if she should tell Beca that she knew. "I wish I could help, but I don't know if there's anything I could do to help you get the mystery girl out of your head," the redhead said, breaking the growing silence between the two of them.

"She's always going to be in the back of my mind," Beca stated, shaking her head and smiling sadly to herself. "I just hate that I fall for people who won't ever love me back. Olivia didn't really love me back. Allison and I could've been in love, but I screwed it up. And this girl, she's just in love with someone else."

Chloe bit down on her lip as Beca talked about her. She couldn't help but feel bad for the brunette; she didn't deserve to go through all the things she had gone through. Nobody deserved to go through those kind of things. "I'm sorry, Beca. I really am. You just have to keep your head up through the hard times, and then you'll be rewarded when the good times come," the redhead told her friend genuinely.

"Maybe I'm just like that Greek goddess named Calypso who's trapped on an island and falls for people she can't have," Beca said. "Maybe I'm destined to not have a soulmate," She added, looking down. "As much as you can try to make me feel better, it's not gonna work. The only thing that can make me feel better is music," The brunette then felt Chloe sit beside her and begin to play a familiar tune.

"Let It Be"- The Beatles

"When I find myself in times of trouble,

Mother Mary comes to me.

Speaking words of wisdom:

'Let it be.'

And in my hour of darkness,

She is standing right in front of me.

Speaking words of wisdom:

'Let it be.'

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.

Whisper words of wisdom:

Let it be."

After she finished singing, Chloe lifted her fingers from the keyboard and looked at Beca. "I know that nothing I say will make you feel better, but if there's something I can do that will help, don't hesitate to tell me," She said, placing her hand onto Beca's.

"Thank you," Beca said, squeezing Chloe's hand softly, looking deeply into her eyes. "You know, I could listen to you sing all day long and not get sick of you," Beca said, smiling for the first time. "You have the voice of an angel, Chlo. And I wish you would use it more."

Chloe blushed at these words and looked down, a small smile spreading across her face. "Thank you," she said softly, looking back up at Beca. "It means a lot to hear you say that."

"Well, I mean every word of it," Beca said, before looking down. She too was blushing, but she looked down just in time so that Chloe didn't see it. "Did you hear from Chicago if they won their game or not?" She asked.

"Yeah, he texted me a little while ago and said that they won. If we win the next game, we'll go to the state championship, so that's exciting," Chloe replied, smiling softly to herself as she thought of Chicago.

"You really love him, don't you?" Beca asked, knowing the answer would kill her. Chloe nodded and then Beca spoke again. "I see the way you two look at each other, it's the same way that I look at-" she stopped herself before she gave herself away. "I see the way you two look at each other, and I can tell that you two really care about each other," the brunette finished.

Chloe nodded, smiling before she spoke. "Yeah, we do. I'm so lucky to have met him, along with you and everyone else here. You guys have been so kind and welcoming to me, and I'll be forever grateful for that," She said smiling shortly before looking away from Beca and blushing.

Beca noticed that Chloe was having a hard time maintaining eye contact when she complimented her, so she decided to ask about it. "Is everything good? You're acting a little odd."

"What? Yeah, of course. Everything's fine," Chloe said quickly, barely letting Beca finish her question before she answered it.

"Okay, now I know something is up," Beca said with a chuckle. "I told you what's going on with me, now it's your turn," She stated calmly. "You didn't judge me, so I promise I won't judge you."

"There's nothing up, I swear. Everything's great. Cheerleading season is wrapping up, so I'll miss that. I think I'm gonna audition for the musical in a couple weeks, so I'm excited for that.. Other than that, there's nothing else new with me. There isn't anything out of the ordinary" Chloe insisted.

"You're hiding something," Beca said, raising her eyebrows. "I believe everything else you just told me, but you're leaving something out. It's not hard to tell."

"There's nothing I'm hiding, okay? I'm fine!" Chloe snapped suddenly, irritated at how Beca was pressuring her. "I'm not leaving anything out. Can you just drop it already? You're reaching for something that's not there."

Beca hadn't seen Chloe snap like that since the night she found out Tom cheated on her. She just held her hands up in defense. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push you like that. It just seemed like there was something else on your mind. I apologize, and I won't ask anymore," She said before looking away, mentally slapping herself for trying to invade Chloe's privacy. The silence between them started growing, and Beca started feeling guilty. _Why can't I just shut my mouth?_ She thought to herself with a sigh.

Beca wasn't the only one feeling guilty. As soon as she had snapped at the brunette, Chloe began feeling guilty as well, not meaning for her tone to be so harsh. The redhead looked down, fidgeting a little as she tried to think of what to say. She didn't know how to break the silence, though, so the two just sat there and waited for the other to say something.

At least a minute or two passed before either them made a sound. Beca sighed once again and then spoke up. "I wrote another song. It's about the mystery girl," She said, wiping a couple tears from her eyelids before they began falling down her cheeks. "Would you like to hear it?"

"You write a lot of songs about the mystery girl, huh?" Chloe said with a little chuckle. "Sure, I'd like to hear it. What's the song called?"

"I think I'm gonna call it 'Hope For Me Yet.'" Beca said, grabbing her guitar and clicking the recording on her piano and pressing play. She then began to play guitar, strumming a beautiful pattern. It wasn't long before Beca began to sing and Chloe was captivated.

"Hope For Me Yet"- Marc Broussard

"I could bless the water, but it wouldn't turn to wine.

Paint a picture of the sunset, hanging there in your eyes

But it'd just be some compromise.

I could write a million verses of words you've heard before.

Steal some of Dylan's best, but it would leave me wanting to say more,

Cause there's so much more.

Baby, if you could love someone like me,

There's no end to the possibilities.

Hopes and dreams push away the pain and regret.

But loving you just lets me know

There might be hope for me yet."

Once again, Chloe was amazed by Beca's talent. It blew the redhead's mind how beautiful the brunette's voice was and how the words in her songs flowed together so perfectly. As she listened to the words, Chloe slowly began to pick up on how the song related to her, but she just stayed quiet and continued listening as Beca sang.

"Sometimes when I look back, I don't even know myself.

Blows my mind to think that I've found grace in someone else.

Baby, your grace is something else.

Baby, if you could love someone like me,  
There's no end to the possibilities.

Hopes and dreams push away the pain and regret.

But loving you just lets me know

There might be hope for me yet."

Beca sang her heart out, giving it everything she had and more. She looked into Chloe's eyes as she strummed her guitar, playing the notes perfectly.

"For a girl who's done nothing,

I've been blessed with so much more than I deserve.

I am smart enough to know that I've been handed something.

Can't put a price on what it's worth."

Beca sang her heart out, belting that note with ease before moving to the chorus. Her eyes went back to Chloe's, and she felt herself begin to choke up as she continued to play, but she knew she had to finish the song.

"Baby, if you could love someone like me,

There's no end to the possibilities.

Hopes and dreams push away the pain and regret.

But loving you just lets me know

There might be hope for me yet,

Hope for me yet."

When Beca finished the song, there was a moment of silence between the two girls. After the silence dragged on for a few minutes, Chloe finally spoke up. "Wow," the redhead said simply. "Just wow."

"That's a good 'wow,' right?" Beca asked. She had felt the lump in her throat since the last chorus, trying not to cry. This was the third song she's written for Chloe, yet Chloe didn't even know that when Beca sang, she was singing to the redhead. "You loved it?"

"Of course I loved it, Beca. It's a beautiful song," Chloe said genuinely. She then noticed that the brunette's eyes had glazed over a little as if she was about to cry. "Is everything okay, Beca?" The redhead asked in a gentle voice.

"I've never been able to have what I truly want, you know?" Beca said, shaking her head and wiping her eyes. "I'm not saying I have a bad life. I'm very lucky to have the family and friends that I have. But I've never been lucky enough to have the things that mean the most to me. And this mystery girl is yet another thing that I truly want but am never going to be able to call mine," The brunette said, standing up and walking over to the window in her room, resting her hands on the window sill. "I can write as many songs about her as I want, but it won't do any good. I could write her a thousand symphonies, but she still wouldn't fall for me."

Chloe's heart ached as she listened to Beca speak, realizing that the brunette was truly heartbroken over her. She wanted to say something to comfort her, but she couldn't say anything that would make her feel better. "I'm sorry, Beca," she started, making eye contact with the brunette. "I'm sorry, Beca. I know how hard it must be for you. I wish there was something more that I could do, but there isn't. I really am sorry."

"I don't want your apologies," Beca said, sniffling a little before closing her eyes and as she tried to keep her tears back. "I just want to know what it feels like to have that one person that puts you first, and you put them first. I want to know what it's like to have somebody love me like I love-" Beca stopped herself once again. She then sighed and spoke again. "Like you love Chicago, and like he loves you."

"Allison loves you, Beca. Surely it can't be too late to apologize to her and fix your relationship," Chloe said, standing up and walking over to Beca. "Allison might be upset with you right now, but she still loves you, and I'm sure she'd be willing to give you another chance," she added.

"Even if I apologize, it still wouldn't be the same. She wouldn't trust me. Besides, I don't want Allison. If I try to get back with her, I'll just end up breaking her heart again," Beca stated honestly, not looking away from the window.

"Why do you say that?" Chloe asked curiously.

"Because I don't love her. I tried to fall for her, but I just couldn't," Beca then turned to Chloe. "Why are you all of a sudden interested in my love life, anyways?"

Chloe shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not really interested in your love life. I'm just trying to help you. You're my friend, Beca, and that's what friends do," She then looked down and stared at her feet, putting her hands in her jacket pocket.

The young brunette felt like there was something off about Chloe right now, but after the redhead snapped at her a little earlier, she decided not to say anything about it. "I just thought that after the way I treated you for awhile that you wouldn't really consider me to be a friend," Beca said.

"Just because we didn't get off to a good start doesn't mean that I don't consider you to be a friend. You're one of my first friends here in Seattle, and you're a great friend too. It took awhile to get you to not hate me, but I would say that we're friends now," Chloe said with a chuckle.

"Oh, okay," Beca said, smiling simply before going to sit on her bed. "Do you want to stay the night? I know you live next door, but I could really use a friend right now," She stated, hoping the redhead would say yes.

"I would, but Chicago wanted to FaceTime me in a little bit, and I wouldn't want to make you feel like a third wheel or anything," Chloe said apologetically. "Maybe some other time, if you're up for it?"

"Sure, yeah. That sounds great," Beca answered half-heartedly, nodding her head and looking down to hide the fact that she was hurt by Chloe's answer. "Some other time," she said, nodding again.

"Great. What about next weekend? Since cheer is wrapping up, I'm going to be free all weekend," Chloe said. "If you're not available, I understand," she added.

"No, no, I should be available," Beca said. "The band doesn't have any gigs until after Thanksgiving, so I could do that," She stated, still trying not to tear up. "You go ahead and get home, and say hi to Chicago for me."

Chloe nodded and started walking towards the door. Before she left, she turned around, smiling softly at Beca. "I'll see you around, Becs," the redhead told her friend before turning back around and leaving the room.

"Yeah, I'll see you around," Beca said as Chloe closed the door behind her. The brunette then groaned and fell back on her bed. Of all people, why did she have to fall for Chloe? Of all of the girls in the world, it was Chloe that she had to fall for. She had fallen for her best friend's girlfriend. Beca covered her face with her hands and covered her eyes, trying to keep herself from crying even though she was all by herself in her room.

 **So, now Chloe knows she's Beca's mystery girl. And Beca accidentally said her name while she and Allison were being intimate. Plus, there was a few sweet yet heartbreaking moments between Beca and Chloe. What do you think is going to happen now that Chloe's know Beca's secret love?**

 **Until Next Time!**


	12. Chapter 12: A Rock Star in the Making

Chapter 12: Rock Star in the Making

"Our daughter can do it," Cala said, talking on the phone with her mother, Mary, while she was making breakfast for her family the morning after Beca's concert. "She can do it, Mom. I was watching her up on the stage and she was so incredible. She wrote every single one of the songs that her band performed, and she sings so beautifully," She said with a bright smile on her face."I can't even begin to tell you how incredible she was."

"It sounds like she really is something else," Mary said, smiling as she listened to her daughter speak so highly of her granddaughter. "Maybe I'll have to come to one of the concerts and see how good Beca is for myself."

"I just wish her father would give her a chance. She's so talented," Cala said, sighing to herself. She turned her head and saw Beca walking down the stairs with the twins, figuring that she should probably get off the phone now. "The kids are up now, Mom. I'll call again later, love you," Once she was off the phone, she turned to Beca, who had turned on the TV for the twins to watch until breakfast was ready. "Hey, is everything alright, sweetheart? I didn't really get an explanation last night."

"Everything's fine," Beca grumbled back, not really wanting to get into all the details of what had happened last night. The brunette sat down on the couch in the living room, the twins sitting down next to her and immediately turning their attention to the episode of _Mickey Mouse Clubhouse_ that was playing on the TV.

Cala sighed as she watched her oldest daughter sit in front of the television with her two younger siblings. "Well, whenever you feel like talking to me, I'm here," She said, smiling and leaning down to kiss Beca's forehead.

Beca turned and watched her mom go back to the kitchen to finish making breakfast of orange rolls, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and bacon. This was Beca's favorite, so she smiled a little when she saw the orange rolls come out of the oven. Then a thought popped into Beca's head: maybe her mom could help her figure out how to get over Chloe. The brunette then stood up and walked into kitchen.

Cala was stirring the scrambled eggs when she heard footsteps walking towards the kitchen. She turned her head, seeing Beca stand in the doorway. "Hey, sweetie," she said, smiling at her daughter before turning her attention back to the eggs. "Is there something you need?"

 _Just tell her. It can't hurt to tell your mom,_ Beca said to herself. The girl took a deep breath and closed her eyes before speaking to her mother. "I'm in love with Chloe," She said, opening her eyes and slowly bringing them up to make eye contact with her mom. She was a little nervous, as she wasn't usually this open and honest. "And I don't know what to do about it," she added, biting her lip and looking down at the floor.

"I take it that you're asking me if I have any advice for getting over Chloe?" Cala said, taking the scrambled eggs off of the stove so that she could focus on their conversation. When her daughter nodded her head, Cala continued. "Well, the difficulty of getting over someone is different for everyone. Have you been trying to get over Chloe for awhile?" The older woman asked.

"You have no idea how hard I've been trying to get over her, Mom," Beca stated, sighing softly. "I've been writing songs about her, because that's how I moved on from Olivia, but it's different with Chloe," As she said this, the redhead popped into the brunette's brain again, but it wasn't like she wasn't always on Beca's mind. "No matter what I do, I can't help but love her."

"Ah, I see. It seems like you're having quite a bit of trouble getting over Chloe. And I'm assuming that dating Allison was partly about trying to get over her?" Cala said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but that didn't work out," Beca said with a cringe, still upset with herself over what she'd done. "I said Chloe's name while we were making out in an inappropriate manner," She said, knowing this was an awkward uncomfortable conversation to be having with her mother; especially considering the fact that they were starting to have sex when Beca moaned Chloe's name.

Cala thought to herself for a moment, trying to figure out what she could say that would help her daughter. "Well, I'm not sure if this will be easy or if it will even help at all, but maybe you should distract yourself with something that's not another girl. If you keep starting relationships only to get over Chloe, it's not fair to you or the other girl. Instead of dating around, maybe you could focus on your music. I know that you already are really focused on that, but focusing on it even more could help your situation."

"I honestly think that even music won't help me at this point," Beca said with a sigh. "It's gotten to the point where I can hardly be around her without wanting to tell her how I feel. She's on my mind day and night, whether I'm writing music or at band practice. I can't get her out of my head, Mom, and it's killing me because I'll never be able to have her."

Cala smiled sadly at Beca. "I know that this is hard for you, sweetie, but don't give up on your music. You might not be able to get Chloe out of your head when you're writing a song, but that doesn't mean you should stop writing altogether. Just try to keep your head up, okay? Don't let a girl make you give up your dreams."

"Well, I'm not going to let her do that. All I'm saying is no matter what I do, I can't stop thinking about her," Beca said, fidgeting with her fingers. "Why couldn't I have fallen for someone else? Of all people to fall for, why did I have to fall for my best friend's girlfriend? That's already a hopeless case. Nothing I've done has helped me move on. I'm just hopelessly in love with her."

"I don't know what I can do to help you, sweetie. I think this is just something that you'll have to figure out on your own," Cala said, going over to the fridge and getting out the bacon. "I still think that you should try to focus more on your music, but the decision is up to you."

Next door, Chloe was laying in her bed, having just woken up from her slumber. She looked at the clock on her bedside table which read 8:45 am. Chloe sighed to herself and sat up, remembering everything that had happened the night before. The biggest thing that happened was finding out that she was the so-called "mystery girl" that Beca was in love with. After laying in her bed for a few more minutes, the redhead got up to start getting ready for the day. She looked at her phone, smiling to herself when she saw the lock screen photo, which was of her and Chicago after one of his football games. Chloe then put her phone down, going over to her closet and picking out an outfit to wear before heading to the bathroom to take a shower.

After she finished her shower, Chloe went downstairs to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast, which she decided would be scrambled eggs and toast. The redhead looked out of the kitchen window and into the living room window of the Mitchell household, where she saw Beca playing tag with Hailee and Henry. She smiled as she watched Beca chase after her two younger siblings, all three of them laughing. Her smile then faded slightly when she thought of how upset the brunette had been last night, and how she wasn't able to comfort her after her fight with Allison.

With all those things on her mind, what had gotten to her most was how Beca confessed her love to the redhead and didn't know that she knew the identity of the mystery girl. Seeing how in love with her Beca was made Chloe hurt on the inside, and she felt even guiltier about not staying the night when Beca said she needed a friend to talk to. _You did what you could, Chloe. You shouldn't feel guilty for not being able to help Beca. You did the best that you could,_ Chloe told herself in an attempt to feel less guilty, but it didn't help.

Chloe sat down at the dining room table with her food after she finished making it, washing down a bite of toast with a sip of her coffee. As the redhead sat there eating her breakfast, her mind kept drifting back to Beca, no matter how hard she tried to think about something else.

Whether it was Beca's love confession or one of the many songs she had written for the mystery girl, Chloe just couldn't seem to think about anything else. The new song she'd played at the concert was so simple and sweet, but there was something about the song that Beca played later and only for her that got to Chloe. She kept thinking back to Beca singing it.

" _Baby, if you could love someone like me,_

 _There's no end to the possibilities._

 _Hopes and dreams push away the pain and regret._

 _But loving you just lets me know_

 _There might be hope for me yet."_

Next door in the Mitchell household, Beca and the twins had just finished eating their breakfast and Beca was washing the dishes while her mother got her younger siblings ready for the day. It was a Saturday, so Henry and Hailee would be going to their last kindergarten soccer game of the season while Beca would go to work for awhile. "Beca, do you know where Henry's cleats are?" Cala called out to her daughter.

"Uh, they might be somewhere in the basement. I can go check if you want," Beca said, washing off her hands and then drying them with a towel.

"No, it's okay. I just found them," Cala answered, putting Henry's cleats in his soccer bag. "Don't be late for work, okay, sweetie?" She said, walking up and kissing Beca's forehead.

"Don't worry, I won't be," Beca said with a smile before hugging her mom and then her little brother and sister. "You guys have fun. I'll play some soccer with you when I get back from work. Does that sound good?" The twins immediately nodded their heads, and Beca chuckled. "Yeah, that's what I thought. I'll see you guys later."

Chloe looked out the kitchen window and saw Beca walking out of her house and towards her car. The redhead had a sudden urge to talk to the brunette, so she grabbed the trash bag from the kitchen that she was supposed to throw away and hurried out so she could catch her before she left. "Hey, Beca!" She called out to her friend as she walked towards the garbage can to throw away the trash.

Beca looked up when she heard someone call her name, and she smiled a little when she saw Chloe waving at her. "Hey, Red," she said, waving back at the other girl who had started to walk towards her.

"How are you? You know, since twelve hours ago?" Chloe said, smiling softly. "I'm really sorry I couldn't stay the night."

Beca shook her head. "You don't need to apologize. It's fine," Beca told her. "How's Chicago?"

"He's good. He told me that some coaches from Nebraska and New York came to the game and talked to him afterwards. Apparently they both want him to visit soon," Chloe said with a proud smile.

"Wow, that's really awesome," Beca said, smiling genuinely. "I bet he's excited. And hey, when he goes to visit NYU you should go too, then you can look at Juilliard or something. You said that's where you want to go, if I remember correctly."

Chloe nodded her head. "Yeah, that's the plan. I mean, I don't know if I'll get in to Juilliard, but I'm definitely going there if I do get accepted," the redhead replied.

"I have no doubt in my mind that you'll get in, Chlo," Beca said, smiling softly. "They'd be stupid not to take you," she stated honestly, causing the redhead to blush.

Chloe looked down, a smile spreading across her face. "Thanks, Beca," she said shyly, looking at her feet. "It means a lot to hear you say that."

"Well I wouldn't say it if it weren't true," Beca replied, putting her hands in her pockets and shrugging a little. "And if you need assistance in finding audition pieces, I'd be happy to help you find the perfect ones."

Chloe's smile grew wider at Beca's words, and she looked back up at the brunette. "Thank you. I'll definitely take you up on that offer," the redhead said. "And if you ever need help with anything, I'll be here for you," she added.

"I'll hold you to that," Beca said, biting her lip and looking down for a moment. "Before I head to work, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, of course," Chloe said with a kind smile.

"What did you really think of that song I played for you last night?" Beca asked, taking a deep breath as she said this.

Chloe stood there for a moment, trying to figure out how she should answer this. "I loved the song, Beca. I mean, I love all your songs, but this one was really good," the redhead finally said, noticing that Beca seemed a little nervous. "Why do you ask?"

Beca shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I guess I asked because it's for the mystery girl, and I want to make sure that it's a song she'll love. Now that I know you love it, I'm sure she will too," The brunette stated, smiling shyly. "I'll see you later, I have to get to work," Beca said, unlocking her car and then putting her stuff in the trunk.

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, of course. I wouldn't want you to be late to work because of me," she said. "I'll see you around, okay?"

"I'll see you around," Beca said, smiling and closing her door before turning on the car and pulling out of the driveway and onto the street before driving away.

As she did so, some of the words that Beca were stuck in Chloe's head on repeat. " _I want to make sure it's a song she'll love. Now that I know you love it, I'm sure she will too,"_ Now that Chloe knew she was the mystery girl, those words along with many other things were starting to make a lot of sense. While she did find some satisfaction in finally knowing the identity of the mystery girl, the redhead found herself in a predicament as she didn't know how or when to tell Beca that she knew her secret.

For a moment the redhead just stood there and watched Beca's car until it was out of sight, then she took out her phone and texted Emily and Jesse in a group chat. She needed to know how to go about this, and these two were the only other ones who knew Chloe was in fact the mystery girl.

 **Chloe:** Hey, can you guys meet me at the Starbucks on 5th and Washington in 20?

A few minutes later, Chloe's phone buzzed with replies from both Emily and Jesse.

 **Emily:** Of course! See you in a little bit :)

 **Jesse:** I'll be there, but I may be a couple minutes late. Is it okay if Aubrey comes with me?

The redhead hesitated for a moment, knowing that Jesse and Emily were the only other two people who knew Beca was in love with Chloe. But on the other hand, Aubrey was good at keeping secrets, so maybe it wouldn't be too bad.

 **Chloe:** Yeah sure, I'll see you guys in 20.

A little while later, the redhead then got in her car and drove to the Starbucks. She smiled when she saw Emily already there, and she gave the tall brunette a hug once she walked inside. "Hey, Em! Thanks for coming," Chloe said with a smile.

"Of course," Emily said with a gentle smile. "Jesse and Aubrey got us a booth," She said, pointing to the two teenagers sitting at booth by the back of the shop.

Chloe looked where Emily was pointing and smiled when she saw her other two friends. Before they walked over to join them, Chloe asked Emily a question. "Aubrey doesn't know Beca's secret, does she?"

"No," Emily answered bluntly. "But she may as well know now. I mean, if Jesse trusts her enough to keep the secret, then I do too."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Chloe said as she and Emily started walking towards the booth that Jesse and Aubrey were sitting at. "Hey, guys! How's it going?" The redhead asked when they got to the table.

"It's going really well. How about you, Chloe?" Jesse said, smiling as the other two girls came over to the table.

"I'm doing alright," Chloe mentioned, sitting down next to Emily and across from Jesse and Aubrey. "I'm really happy you agreed to meet me here on such short notice."

"Yeah of course," Jesse mentioned. "What's going on?"

Chloe sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "It's Beca," she said, looking down. "Nothing bad has happened between us. I just don't know what to do."

"Could you elaborate a little?" Emily asked her friend.

"Yeah, I don't really understand where you're going with this," Jesse said, taking a sip of his coffee

"Well, I kinda found out last night that I'm the mystery girl Beca has been writing about in her songs," Chloe mentioned, and Jesse nearly spit out his drink.

"How did you find out?" Jesse asked, using a napkin to wipe the coffee off of his face.

"I've been trying to figure out who the mystery girl is for weeks. Emily and I were talking last night, and I figured it out when she told me that there was only one other girl in the group that I hadn't thought about. That's when the realization hit me," Chloe said, sighing deeply.

Jesse nodded. "So, now that you know you're the mystery girl, I assume that you don't know how to tell Beca that you know?" He said, waiting for Chloe to nod before he continued. "Honestly, I wouldn't tell her that you know if I were you. I think that would only complicate things."

"Then what do you propose I do? I can't just sit here and pretend like I don't know, you guys didn't see the Beca I saw last night after you guys left," Chloe stated, looking down at the ground for a moment.

"What happened?" Aubrey asked, speaking up for the first time in their little groups conversation.

"She really opened up to me last night. She's never been that open with me before. It kinda took me by surprise, if I'm being honest," Chloe replied. "I just don't know what to do now. Pretending that I don't know her secret is going to be hard, but so would telling her that I do know."

"What exactly did she tell you last night?" Emily asked.

"She played me a song that she wrote for the mystery girl and told me that she feels like she'll never find someone who will actually love her. Olivia didn't really love her back, and Allison could have, but Beca screwed that up. As for me, she said that I'm just something she truly wants but can never have," Chloe stated, taking a sip of coffee after she finished talking to let that sink in with the other three people at the table.

"Wow, that sounds like a lot to take in. I don't know if Beca's ever been that open with anyone before. She's never been that open with me," Jesse said, taking a bite out of the cookie he had bought. "Has she ever been like that with either of you?" He asked Aubrey and Emily.

"Beca and I haven't really gotten along until recently, so you can count me out," Aubrey stated, sitting back against the booth.

"I guess the only heart-to-heart I've had with Beca was her telling me that she loved Chloe while she was drunk at the Halloween party," Emily mentioned, sipping her frappuccino. "But other than that, no, she hasn't."

"Well then, if she's never been that open with any of us before, then that means she trusts you a lot," Jesse said, turning back to Chloe. "Beca's a private person, but you were somehow able to break down her walls."

"I don't even know what I did, though," Chloe said.

"Well, you did stay when everyone else left. Maybe you just caught her in a moment of vulnerability," Aubrey said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Maybe I did, but it was so hard to watch, you guys," Chloe said, biting her lip and staring down at her coffee. "I've been causing her all this pain and I didn't even know it. What am I going to do?"

Emily looked at Jesse and Aubrey before speaking up. "I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I don't think there's much that you can do right now. Maybe just wait awhile and see how things play out before you do anything?" She suggested.

Chloe wanted to protest, but she looked over at at Aubrey and Jesse, who nodded at her in agreement with Emily's statement. She then sighed and leaned her head back against the seat, closing her eyes. "Even though I don't like this plan at all, I won't do or say anything," She then opened her eyes. "It's going to be really difficult to keep this on the down low. What if Beca finds out and hates me for not telling her I knew? That could cause her even more pain."

"Unfortunately, with this situation, it seems that someone is going to be hurt no matter what we do. We just have to make the decision that causes the least amount of pain," Aubrey replied. "And I don't think that Beca would hate you if she found out that you knew. Beca cares about you too much to hate you," she added.

"But I'm keeping the fact that I know a secret. I don't want to be the cause of her constant pain. Seeing how upset she was last night nearly killed me," Chloe said, sighing and finishing her coffee. "But if you guys think keeping it from her will cause the least amount of damage, then I'll try to keep it a secret."

The four of them continued to talk for awhile until going their separate ways, Jesse and Aubrey going to see a movie while Emily left to go hang out with Benji. Chloe was left alone at the booth, immersed in her thoughts as she tried to keep her mind off of Beca but was unable to do so. Why couldn't Chloe just let this go? Why couldn't she just act like nothing happened and forget she ever heard it? Keeping this quiet was going to be a lot easier said than done.

Meanwhile at Dick's Sporting Goods, Beca was organizing some soccer cleats. She had her earbuds in and was currently listening to some old U2 albums. The song that was currently playing was "With or Without You," one of the greatest songs ever written in Beca's opinion. The young brunette had been raised on classic rock from the seventies and eighties, as well as the sixties when The Beatles and the Beach Boys were rocking the charts.

The brunette bopped her head to the rhythm and hummed along with the melody as the song played in her earbuds, smiling from ear-to-ear as well. Music had always been something that was able to lift her mood, no matter the circumstances. As she organized boxes of soccer cleats on a shelf, Beca looked over and saw Chicago walk through the front doors of the store.

The brunette smiled when she saw her best friend and took her earbuds out, finishing putting the cleats on shelves. She waved at Chicago as he walked over. "Hey, Chic! Congrats on the win last night," She said, smiling as they gave each other a high five.

Chicago smiled back at his best friend. "Thanks, Beca. Congrats on your show last night. Chloe told me that you guys brought down the house yet again," he said.

"You bet we brought it down, and my mom loved the show, which made last night so close to perfect," Beca chuckled before looking down. "The night could've had a better ending though," she stated with a shrug as Chicago sat down and watched her sort through a basket of ball pumps.

"Yeah, I heard about what happened between you and Allison. I'm sorry about that, dude. I know you really liked her," Chicago said sympathetically, putting a hand on Beca's shoulder. "You said the mystery girl's name while you two were…?" He trailed off.

Beca cringed a little, knowing she couldn't say who the mystery girl was. "Yeah, and I'm not proud of it. I feel awful."

"If I were you, I'd just stay away from Allison for awhile so things can simmer down a little," Chicago said, helping Beca with the ball pumps. He then scrunched his eyebrows a little bit. "Am I ever going to find out who this mystery girl is? I mean understand that you want to keep it on the down low; it's just that, well I am your best friend, and we usually tell each other everything."

Beca froze at Chicago's words, not knowing how to respond. "I-" she started, looking away from her best friend and down at the floor. "I know that we tell each other a lot of things, but I don't feel comfortable telling anyone who the mystery girl is. It's not that I don't trust you. It's just that I don't want to share that with anyone yet," she finished, only stuttering a couple times while speaking. She did feel a bit guilty though, knowing she'd already told Jesse and Emily.

"Okay, well I hope when you're ready that you'll tell me," Chic said, smiling and patting her shoulder. "Chloe also told me you sang a song for her last night, is it a new song for Trio?"

Beca shook her head. "No, it was just a song that I've been working on for awhile and wanted to play for someone. Trio might end up playing it, but it's just my song for now."

"I can't wait to hear it someday. Chloe said it was a beautiful song, one of the best songs she's ever heard," Chicago said, smiling. "You constantly amaze her with your songwriting. You really move her with her music, Beca."

Chicago's words took Beca by surprise, but she quickly recovered. "I don't think that it's me specifically," the brunette said, shaking her head. "It's probably music in general that moves her. I don't think I'm good enough yet to have an impact like that."

"No really," Chicago said, ensuring Beca that he was telling the whole truth. "Your CDs are the only things she has playing in her car, and whenever I catch her studying in the library, she's listening to your music on her phone," He stated in a genuine tone. "Not to mention the fact that I've caught her humming and singing the lyrics to your songs constantly. Sure, Chloe loves music, but it's your music I hear her listening to the most."

Beca couldn't help but blush at this, and she looked down so Chicago didn't see. "Wow, uh, that's really cool. I had no idea that she was such a big fan," she said, scratching the back of her head. "I mean, she's told me that my music is good, but I didn't think she liked it that much," the brunette added.

"Chloe's similar to you in that she doesn't always show her emotions," Chicago mentioned. "But she truly loves your music, Beca. I mean, she ditched one of my football games to go to your concerts," He chuckled as they walked over the basketballs.

Beca's face turned even redder as Chicago spoke, and the brunette hurried over to the basketball section so he didn't notice. "I'm sure that she would have much rather gone to your football game than my concert. She seemed really bummed out that she wasn't able to make the game, especially since it's the playoffs."

"Chloe's been to every single one of my games, so I think she was okay missing this one," Chicago chuckled, walking behind Beca as they went to the aisle with basketball equipment. "And yeah, she was bummed out about not going to the game, but she said that she had so much fun at the concert. Don't sell yourself short, Beca. You're extremely talented, and you should be proud of that."

"Thanks Chic," Beca said, smiling and trying to hide her blush as she thought of the things Chloe had said about her to Chicago. "So, do you need anything that I can help you find? Or are you just here to visit?"

"I just wanted to stop by to talk to you for a bit. I'm not looking for anything in particular," Chicago replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Plus, I figured that talking to your best friend would be more fun than organizing shoes or pumping up basketballs," he added.

"Thanks," Beca said, taking one of the basketballs and dribbling it a couple times before turning around and effortlessly shooting it into one of the nearby hoops. "Are you excited for basketball to start?"

"Actually, I'm not sure if I'm going to play this year," Chicago said, grabbing a basketball and shooting it into one of the other hoops. "If I get hurt, I could lose my college offers for football. I'll think about it some more, but right now I don't want to take any unnecessary risks."

"Chloe did tell me you were getting looked at by Nebraska and NYU," Beca said, smiling. "That's really awesome, dude. I'm proud of you," She patted his shoulder.

Chicago smiled back at Beca. "Yeah, Nebraska and NYU are really interested in me. Depending on how the next few games go, I could start getting offers from bigger schools like Texas or USC," he said excitedly.

"Dude, that's so cool. It really is. Nebraska, USC, and Texas should be your top picks in my opinion. They're better at football than NYU," Beca said, as she continued to inflate basketballs.

"Those schools do have better football programs, but if I went to NYU, I would be close to Chloe if she goes to Julliard," Chicago mentioned.

"Yeah, but I'm sure if you wanted to play at Nebraska or USC, you two could find a way to make long distance work," Beca said, shrugging her shoulders.

Chicago nodded. "Yeah, that is true. We'll just have to wait and see how everything plays out. I'm hoping that I'll get an offer from Georgia, since my dad played football there for a few years."

"Definitely," Beca said, smiling. "Well, wherever you end up choosing to go play, I'll be in full support of your decision," She patted him on the back and smiled. "How are things with Chloe?" She asked after a little while.

"Things are going great," Chicago replied with a wide smile on his face. "I've never been happier than I have been these last few months. She's so amazing."

"I'm happy for you, Chic," Beca said, though on the inside it hurt her to say that. "Chloe really is amazing. No wonder you two are so good together," She said, turning the other way.

"She's one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I don't know what I'd do without her in my life," Chicago said, smiling even more. His smile faded when he saw that Beca had turned away from him, and that she had a sad expression on her face. "Is everything okay, Bec?"

"It's nothing," Beca said with a sigh, which didn't go unnoticed by Chicago. "I just hope you realize how lucky you are," She stated, turning back to her best friend. "I could've had something incredible with Allison, but I fucked up big time and lost her. And I'm not saying that the same thing will happen to you and Chloe, I'm just saying that you shouldn't take her for granted. Girls like her, they're impossible to find," There was a pause between the two before Beca spoke again. "I gotta go check some inventory. I'll see you later," She said, giving Chicago a side hug before heading to the back of the store.

Chic stood there and watched his best friend as she left him in the basketball aisle. Something she had said stuck with him: " _Girls like her, they're impossible to find._ " _What does Beca mean by that?_ Chicago thought to himself. He watched Beca walk towards the back of the store and then ran after her. "Beca! Wait!"

The brunette turned around when she heard her name called, and Chicago caught up to her a few seconds later. "Yeah? What do you want?" She asked. "Make it quick, because I have to get back to work."

"I-I..." Chicago trailed off, trying to figure out the right thing to say. "Is Chl-" he started, then stopped himself. _Is that even possible? No, it can't be...but could it? Could she really be who Beca is writing all these love songs for?_ He was silent for another few moments, then took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak. "The mystery girl...is it Chloe?"

 **Oh snap! What is Beca going to say now? Stay tuned to see how she responds!**

 **Until next time**


	13. Chapter 13: Best Friends

Chapter 13: Best Friends

Beca just stood there, frozen in her place as Chicago's words replayed in her mind. "I, uh, I…" The brunette started, not knowing what to say. She didn't want to lie to her best friend, but she also didn't want to hurt him by telling him the truth. "Chicago, I-" Beca started a second time but stopped herself again. "I have to get back to work. Can we talk about this later?"

"Why don't you answer my question and then go back to working? It's a yes or no question. It won't take that long for you to answer," Chicago said, crossing his arms and looking at Beca expectantly. "Is Chloe the mystery girl? Just say yes or no."

Beca looked down as tears welled up in her eyes. She needed to get out of this conversation as fast as she could. The girl looked back up and made eye contact with Chicago before closing her eyes, nodding her head slowly. "Yes," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. Once she got that word out, she muttered something about having to get back to work and then ran into the inventory room, closing the door behind her.

Chicago stood there speechless for a few moments before turning around and walking towards the doors, still processing what had just happened. He had kinda figured out what Beca's answer was going to be because of her reaction to his question, but he was still shocked when the brunette confirmed that Chloe was the mystery girl. He walked out of the store to his car, leaning against it and running his fingers through his hair. _Well, this makes things a lot more complicated now, doesn't it?_ He thought to himself with a sigh.

Meanwhile, tears were falling down Beca's face as she stood there in the inventory room. She had just told her best friend that she had feelings for his girlfriend, and he probably hated her now because of it. There was no way she would be able to face Chicago now; she might as well drop out, go to LA, and change her name. Honestly, Beca couldn't blame Chicago if he did hate her. He was happy with Chloe, and Beca was trying to ruin that. The brunette sighed and slowly slid down the wall to sit on the floor, closing her eyes and letting more tears fall.

Once her shift was over, Beca went home and was immediately greeted by the twins, who wanted Beca to make good on her promise to play soccer with them. As they began to play, Beca did her best to keep her emotions in check, even though it was hard for her not to cry after everything that happened. Surprisingly, she managed to put on a good face while playing with Henry and Hailee in the backyard.

The three of them played together for an hour or so before going inside after dinner. Beca was silent during their meal, certain that she would burst into tears if she even tried to speak. After dinner, Beca did the dishes and then went upstairs to her room, collapsing on her bed as soon as she got inside. _Why doesn't anything good ever happen to me?_ Beca thought to herself, looking up at the ceiling. _What did I ever do to deserve this?_

The following Monday, Beca avoided Chicago and everyone but Benji and Jesse at school. She couldn't face her best friend after the events of that weekend, and she figured that he didn't want to see her either based on the fact that he hadn't talked to her since. Beca hoped that once Thanksgiving was over, Chicago would completely forget about Beca being in love with Chloe, and that they could start over. Deep down, the brunette knew that this hope was unreasonable, but that didn't stop her from hoping.

Thanksgiving came and went, Beca still not hearing anything from Chicago. She knew that stressing over it wouldn't do any good, so she did the best she could to let it go and not think about it. Instead, Beca focused on writing songs for Trio and getting in shape, since basketball tryouts were going to be held a few days after Thanksgiving break ended.

It was the day that the students at Hartford High returned to school from break, and Beca made sure to avoid Chicago like she had been before break. The brunette made sure that she went in the school doors on the opposite side from where Chicago went in so that they didn't risk bumping into each other. Once she got inside the school, she hurried to her locker and then her first class, not stopping to talk to anyone on her way.

While Beca was at her locker, Chicago was at his locker that was across the hall from hers. Chloe talking to him about something when Chicago turned and saw Beca hurry off towards their first class. The boy just shook his head and then continued to get the books he needed. Chloe noticed this and she thought to speak up. "What was that shake of the head for? Are you okay?" She asked.

"What? Me? Yeah, I'm fine," Chicago said, grabbing his last textbook and then closing the door of his locker. "You should ask Beca if she's okay," he muttered under his breath a few moments later.

"Why me? Why don't you ask her?" Chloe asked curiously, leaning against the lockers. "She is your best friend."

"Yeah, she's a great best friend alright," Chicago said sarcastically, turning and starting to walk down the hall the opposite way that Beca had gone.

Chloe chuckled and shook her head before speaking again. "Maybe I should ask if your okay, Chic," She stated, catching up to him before stopping in front of him. "What's going on?"

"Nothing's going on. I'm fine," Chicago insisted, starting to become a little irritated. "Why are you suddenly asking all these questions?"

"Because you're my boyfriend, and I worry about you," Chloe said, turning her head and crossing her arms. "Just know that if something is wrong, you can tell me, okay?" She said, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her forehead to his. Suddenly, he pulled away from her embrace, which surprised Chloe because he never did that.

"I've got to get to class and so do you," Chicago said before walking around Chloe leaving her there, dumbstruck.

"What the hell is going on?" Chloe muttered to herself as she watched her boyfriend turn down into another hallway.

Chicago's odd behavior was all that occupied the redhead's mind, and she found it difficult to concentrate in her morning classes. She decided to bring it up with him at lunch to see if he could shed light on the situation. When Chloe sat down at their lunch table, she noticed that Chicago didn't acknowledge her and continued eating his food. "Hey, Chic. How have your classes been so far today?" She asked to start the conversation.

"Fine," Chicago said, continuing to eat his sandwich. "How about you?" He asked in a monotone voice.

"They've been good. I printed out my Juilliard application this morning during study hall," Chloe replied with a smile. "Once I fill it out and send it in, I'll hear back from them in a month to see if I'm a finalist. If I'm a finalist, I'll audition in front of a judge to see if I get in. "

"Cool," Chicago said simply, swallowing a bite of his sandwich and then taking a sip of soda. He didn't say anything else after that, which made Chloe furrow her eyebrows.

The redhead took a bite of her sandwich and then tried to think of something else to say. "So, Stacie is having a birthday party on Saturday with everyone. She wants us to come, are you free?"

"I don't know. I'll have to find out," Chicago said, finishing his sandwich. He took another sip of soda and then stood up, walking away from the lunch table to throw his trash in the garbage can.

"What's going on?" Chloe asked in a calm voice as Chicago came to sit back down. "I'm not upset, you just don't seem like your usual self," She said, linking her hand in his. "Talk to me, babe."

"Nothing's wrong, Chloe," Chicago said, pulling his hand away and running his fingers through his hair with an exasperated sigh. "Why do you keep on insisting that something's wrong? I'm fine."

"Would you like me to give you the list?" Chloe asked, sitting back and crossing her arms. "You didn't give me hello kiss and hug this morning, you've been avoiding Beca, your best friend all day. Also you've barely return my calls over the last week, and you could've at least humored me and acted excited for my possible Juilliard audition," She stated, taking a sip of her water. "God forbid I ask if my boyfriend is doing alright," She said before turning to eat her lunch.

"I'm just in a bad mood, okay? I don't understand why you're attacking me like this. I just don't feel like talking right now, in case you haven't gotten that through your head," Chicago snapped back. "Yeah, I'm excited about your audition, but I've got a lot of other things on my mind right now."

"Fine. I won't bother you anymore," Chloe said, shaking her head and grabbing her lunch bag. "I'm sorry for trying to help you. If you decide that you want to talk, I'll be in the music room after school watching Trio practice," She then got up and started to walk away.

Chicago shook his head as Chloe walked away, then took his phone out of his pocket and started scrolling through Instagram. _Great, now Chloe's mad at me. I didn't even do anything wrong. I'm just in a bad mood and need some space right now. She needs to respect that_ , the boy thought to himself. His stomach did turn a little when Chloe said that she would be going to watch Trio's rehearsal after school, but he pushed it away and went on with the rest of his day.

After school, Aubrey and Chloe were sitting in the music room as Trio practiced one of their songs. Chloe smiled as she watched the group perform, humming along as they played a new song they were working on.

"Paradise"- Coldplay

"When she was just a girl,

She expected the world.

But it flew away from her reach

So she ran away in her sleep."

Beca smiled at the two girls, particularly Chloe, as she sang. She couldn't help but feel guilty whenever she made eye contact with the redhead, as she knew Chicago wouldn't be happy to know that they were hanging out together.

"And she dreamed of para-para-paradise,

Para-para-paradise,

Para-para-paradise

Every time she closed her eyes."

As Beca sang those lyrics and played her guitar, she heard the sound of footsteps nearing the music room. The brunette looked towards the door, her heart dropping through the floor when she saw Chicago outside the classroom. She stopped playing, looking down and turning away as tears started welling up in her eyes.

When Beca stopped playing, Jesse and Benji stopped as well. Everyone looked around at each other, not sure what was going on. "Beca, what's wrong? Why did you stop playing?" Jesse asked.

"Nothing, it's nothing. I'm fine," Beca said, clearing her throat. "Everyone take five and we'll continue after that," The brunette then set her guitar down and walked over to the back door of the room, which led outside to a small cluster of trees. Beca walked over to the trees and sat down, leaning her back against one of the tree trunks. She sighed and closed her eyes, wishing that she had never told Chicago that Chloe was the mystery girl. If she hadn't, he wouldn't hate her now, and everything would be the way it used to.

Back in the music room, Chloe looked and saw Chicago standing in the hall through the window. She got up from her seat and went to go talk to him. "Are you ready to talk to me?" Chloe asked, setting her jaw and crossing her arms.

"I don't want you around Beca," Chicago stated firmly

"What? Why not?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "She's your best friend. Why don't you want me around her?"

"It's hard to explain," Chicago replied, "and I don't really want to explain it right now. Can you just trust me and stay away from her? It's for your own good."

"And since when is it for you to decide what's good for me?" Chloe shot back. "You're my boyfriend, not my parent. You've been avoiding me for a week, and I deserve an explanation for that. I also deserve to know why you don't want me to hang out with Beca."

"God, do you even listen to me? I said that I didn't want to explain it right now!" Chicago said, raising his voice. "You know what? Forget I even said anything. You're obviously not going to do what I asked," he added, rolling his eyes.

"Chic, you've been neglecting me for the last week," Chloe said, angry tears forming in her eyes. "I called you and you didn't answer. I texted you and got left on 'read.' Did I do something wrong?" The redhead wiped a couple tears from her eyes before continuing. "I love you, and I just want to make sure that you're okay. Is it such a crime for me to worry about you?"

"Did I say it was a crime for you to worry about me? Stop putting words I didn't say in my mouth. I don't want you to worry about me because there's nothing to worry about. I'm fine, Chloe. If anyone has a problem, it's you because you can't and aren't trusting me when I tell you I'm fine," Chicago replied.

Chloe shook her head and looked down as more tears began to fall. "If things were okay, you wouldn't be telling me to stay away from your best friend," she said, sniffling as a silence fell over them after she finished talking. "I'm going to head home. Do me a favor and don't call me tonight. That shouldn't be too hard for you, considering you've been doing it all week," the redhead added a few moments later, turning around and heading for the exit door without saying another word.

By the time the argument was over, everyone had returned from the five minute break and was watching the scene unfold from the music room. After Chloe walked away, Beca dared to look up, looking back down once she saw Chicago glaring at her. "So, uh, let's get back to work. Do you guys wanna pick up where we left off?" Beca asked, turning to Jesse and Benji. Everyone could tell that something was up with Beca but nobody said anything, instead choosing to go along with it. When Beca looked into the hallway before they began practicing again, Chicago was nowhere to be found.

At Chloe's house, the redhead was currently crying into her pillow. When she got home, she instantly went to her room, slamming the door behind her. The redhead had then collapsed on her bed, thoroughly worn out from everything that had happened that day. She didn't understand why Chicago was being so moody, and she just wanted to let her emotions out and forget everything.

Trio's rehearsal ended an hour later, and Beca went home shortly afterwards. After she parked her car in her driveway, the brunette felt a twinge of guilt when she glanced at Chloe's house while getting out of her car. She had heard Chloe and Chicago's argument while she was inside the music room, and she couldn't help but feel like she was the reason for that argument. Because of this, Beca decided that the least she could do was to check in and see if the redhead was okay. She wasn't trying to take Chicago's place; rather, she was trying to atone for her role in the argument. The brunette knew that Chloe probably didn't want to see anyone at the moment, so she took out her phone and called the redhead, hoping that she would answer.

As Chloe cried into her pillow, she felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. Without even checking to see who was calling her, the redhead hit the power button on her phone which instantly declined the call. She put her phone back in her pocket and then buried her face back in her pillow, a fresh wave of tears starting to fall down her face.

Beca felt her heart drop a little when she was redirected to Chloe's voicemail. She had figured the redhead wouldn't answer, but she still had a tiny sliver of hope that she would. Once she heard the beep, Beca left a quick message. "Hey Chlo, it's Beca. I just felt like I should check on you. I heard you and Chic arguing, and I just want you to know that I'm here if you need someone to talk to," She then ended the call and laid down on her bed. Beca put her phone in her pocket and stared up at the ceiling, looking at nothing in particular. Within the last month, her life had gone from great to terrible. Everything was fine before she told Chicago her secret, a decision that Beca regretted more than anything. _If only you hadn't told Chicago_ , the girl thought to herself, _If you hadn't been stupid enough to tell Chicago, you wouldn't be in this situation._

Chicago lay in his bed that night, trying to fall asleep. He was having trouble for a few different reasons, the biggest one being that the biggest football game of his career was coming up soon. He also had found out his best friend was in in love with his girlfriend. And finally, he and Chloe had their first argument. He thought about texting or calling Chloe, but she had made it very clear she didn't want to talk to him. He then scrolled through his phone and looked at Beca's name. His finger hovered over her name as he debated whether or not to contact her. A few minutes went by and Chicago finally made his decision, clicking on her contact and then on the text symbol. The boy typed up a short message that would get his point across to Beca, reading over it once and then sending it.

 **Chicago:** Stay away from Chloe.

Beca got his text and just sighed before texting back, trying to reason with him. She didn't want to lose her best friend. Once she was done typing it she pressed send and awaited a response.

 **Beca:** We need to talk about this, tomorrow in the music room before school. I'll explain everything.

Almost as soon as she sent the message, Beca's phone buzzed with a reply from Chicago.

 **Chicago:** I don't want your explanation. I just want you to stay away from my girlfriend.

Beca read the text over a couple times, feeling both anger and shock. The brunette stood up and grabbed her car keys, walking out of her house and to her car that was parked in the driveway. She had to talk to Chicago now, because she might lose him for good if she waited any longer.

As soon as she got to Chicago's house, the brunette walked up to the front door and knocked on it. Chicago's father, Leo, opened the door. "Beca," he said with a friendly smile. "It's been awhile since I got to talk to you. How are you?"

"I'm doing great, Mr. Walp," Beca answered with an overly-enthusiastic smile. "Is Chicago home? I'd like to talk to him about his Christmas present for Chloe."

"Yeah, he's upstairs in his room. I'll go tell him that you're here. In the meantime, you can make yourself at home in the living room," Leo replied with a smile, stepping aside so Beca could walk in the house.

"It's cool, I'll wait," Beca said, smiling before sitting down and waiting for Leo to go get his son.

About five minutes later, Leo came back into the living room with Chicago following close behind him. "Alright, here she is. Now you two can talk about Chloe's Christmas present. I imagine you have something big planned?" Leo said to his son.

"Yeah, but it's a secret," Beca said with a nervous laugh before Mr. Walp left the room. Beca then turned to Chicago, thinking of how she was going to approach this. Once she was sure Mr. Walp was out of hearing range, she spoke. "I know I'm the absolute last person you want to be talking to right now, but we need to talk about this."

"Talk about what? How you've been in love with my girlfriend all this time? Is that what you want to talk about?" Chicago grumbled, sitting down at the opposite end of the couch from Beca.

"Yes, it is what we need to talk about," Beca said, turning to face Chicago. "Look Chic, first things first: I need you to know that I have never and will never do anything to try and steal Chloe from you. You're my best friend, and I'm not going to let my feelings for Chloe blind me. I'd never do anything if I knew it would hurt you, you know that."

"And you expect me to believe that?" Chicago asked, chuckling and shaking his head. "I'm not buying it, Beca. You said you'd never do anything if you knew it would hurt me, but you having feelings for my girlfriend does hurt, in case you didn't know that already."

"You think I wanted to have feelings for Chloe?" Beca asked, baffled by his response. "Of all the people I could fall for in this damn world, you think I would choose to fall for my best friends girlfriend? That's not the way feelings work, Chic," She shook her head and then scoffed a laugh.

"All of a sudden you know how feelings work? I find that hard to believe. When was the last time you were in a stable relationship?" Chicago spat. After a few moments, the boy's eyes went wide and although his eyes went wide and a wave of guilt washed over him as he realized what he had just said.

Beca sat there for a moment, giving herself time to calm down and keep the anger boiling inside of her to a minimum. "I had a stable relationship with Olivia until she cheated on me. But you already know that, so let me just cut to the chase. You're my best friend, Chic. Why would I want you to go through the same pain that I did? You were the first person I came out to, the first person who accepted me for who I was. I've never had a better friend than you," She said, looking down for a moment. "I hate myself for feeling the way I do about Chloe every day because our friendship means so much to me. That's why I hid the way I felt for so long. I'm afraid of losing my best friend," She said before a strong silence fell over the two of them.

The silence between the two of them continued to grow, neither person knowing if they should be the first to break the silence. After the silence continued for a while longer, Beca spoke up. "Well, that's all I wanted to tell you. If you don't have anything to say, I'm gonna go home now," the brunette said, turning around and starting to walk towards the door. She put her hand on the doorknob and held it there for a moment, turning back to look at Chicago who sat there with a troubled look on his face. "Good luck at the game tomorrow. I know you'll bring us another state trophy," She said, opening the door and closing it behind her.

Chicago sat there with his thoughts, trying to figure everything out. On one hand, he wanted to be angry with Beca. He had every right to be angry with her for being in love with Chloe, but he couldn't bring himself to get mad at his best friend. The boy sighed and leaned back against the couch, closing his eyes as well. He honestly didn't know what to do.

While she drove home, Beca put on some music to help get her mind off of things. She had either convinced Chicago or she had lost him. The young girl pulled into her driveway and saw Chloe sitting on the bench on her family's front porch. Beca waved at her once she got out of her car. "Hey, you're up late."

"So are you," Chloe said, watching Beca as she locked her car and then came over to her. "Where were you at this time? I'm not surprised that you're up late, I just thought you'd be writing songs or something."

"I actually have been having some trouble with the verses of 'Paradise.'" Beca said, shrugging her shoulders. "I just needed to go for a drive to clear my head," She stated.

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, I can see why you'd need to do that. A lot happened today," the redhead replied, looking down.

"Yeah," Beca said, averting her eyes for a moment. "Speaking of which, are you alright? I heard part of the argument you and Chicago had in the hallway, and I don't know if you got my messag-"

"Yeah, I did get your message, and I really appreciate you thinking of me. I'm sorry for declining your call, by the way. I had a small meltdown and just needed to let out my emotions," Chloe said. "I really do appreciate you thinking of me, though. It means a lot."

"You're my friend, Chlo," Beca stated simply, shrugging her shoulders. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay," She then began to walk towards her house when Chloe spoke up again.

"Beca, wait!" Chloe stood up and started walking down the steps of the porch when Beca turned around to face her. "How are you?" The redhead asked. "You wanted to make sure that I'm okay. Now I want to make sure that you are."

"I've been better," Beca stated honestly with a chuckle. "But I've also been worse," She stood there awkwardly for a short moment until Chloe gestured for her to come and sit next to her. "I just have to ask you one thing, though," Once Chloe nodded, Beca continued. "I'm still your friend right? Even though Chicago doesn't want you anywhere near me?"

"Of course you're still my friend, Beca," Chloe said, placing a hand on the brunette's shoulder. "Just because Chicago doesn't want us to be friends doesn't mean that we can't be friends. I'm not going to let him dictate my life, and if he has a problem with that, then he should talk to me about it."

"Okay, I just wanted to be sure," Beca said, smiling at Chloe for a moment. She then turned away, looking down at her hands and thinking to herself for a minute or so. "When you first met Chicago, what did you feel?"

"Uh, well, I felt both happy and relieved when I first met him. I had been so scared that I wasn't going to make any friends, and he went out of his way to be nice to me even though I was the new girl. That really meant a lot to me," Chloe replied, a smile forming on her face as she thought of the memory.

"Yeah, he's always been pretty welcoming," Beca said, smiling for a moment. "I'm sorry that I was such a bitch to you when we first met, to be honest I was trying to figure you out. I judged you the moment I saw you instead of getting to know you first, and I'm sorry. I didn't really make a great first impression."

"Yeah, you didn't make a great first impression," Chloe said with a chuckle. "But what's in the past is in the past, and there's no use dwelling on it. I'd say that we've come a long way this year, considering that you almost ran me over on the first day of school," the redhead added, chuckling again.

"Okay, in my defense, your face was in your phone and you weren't looking where you were going," Beca said, chuckling and smiling at Chloe. After a few seconds, the two girls stopped laughing. "Sorry about that, by the way," she stated, averting her eyes playfully.

"I forgive you, Beca," Chloe said before scooting a bit closer to Beca and leaning her head on the brunette's shoulder. She let out a soft yawn and closed her eyes.

Beca smiled for a moment, but then it faded. "Chicago probably doesn't want us this close together," She said sadly, moving away from Chloe a little.

"Why doesn't he want me around you?" She asked. "You're not a serial killer, are you?" She joked.

Beca didn't laugh at Chloe's joke, instead just shaking her head. "He should be the one to tell you why he doesn't want me around you," she answered, looking down and then scooting farther away from Chloe.

The redhead frowned, looking down for a moment before looking back at Beca. "He can't tell me who I can and can't hang out with, Beca. Besides, I want you around,"She said, taking Beca's hand in her own.

The brunette's muscles tensed up when Chloe's fingers linked with her own, and she couldn't help but notice how perfectly they fit together. "I want you around too, Chlo, but I think it's best that we don't spend time together until he tells you why he doesn't want us to hang out. If he saw us right now, he'd kill me where I stand," A silence grew between the two of them, and Beca pulled her hand away from Chloe's before standing up. "I think it would be best if we didn't spend time together," she said, repeating herself from earlier. "I would hate for Chicago to take out his anger towards me on you."

"Beca, please stay," Chloe said, reaching for Beca's hand again. "I can take whatever may come my way."

"That's my point: you shouldn't have to," Beca stated firmly, pulling her hand away again. "I'm still your friend, but I can't be around you for now. I don't want to risk your relationship with Chicago. "

"How could you do that Beca?" Chloe asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"Like I said before, that's for him to tell you, not me," Beca said before turning and walking to her house. "Goodnight, Chlo." Chloe watched as Beca went inside her house, sitting there on the steps of her porch before turning around and walking inside her own home.

The next day at school, Chicago walked up to Chloe at her locker and stood there silently for a moment. "Hey," he said nervously, avoiding eye contact with the redhead.

"Hey," Chloe said, not turning to look at him as she grabbed her binder and textbook for her next class. "Do you have something to say, or are you just going to stand there and look at the floor?" She asked.

"Look, I just wanted to say sorry for the way I treated you yesterday," Chicago said, looking at Chloe now. "I acted the way I did because I love you and I don't want to lose you," He stated, reaching for her hand turning her to look at him. "I also want you to know that I take back what I said about you not being able to hang out with Beca. It was stupid of me to say that, and I hate myself for making you cry."

"Yeah, it was stupid of you to say that," Chloe said, closing her locker once she got the things she needed. "But I'm glad that you finally pulled your head out of your ass and realized that it was stupid to say that," she added, looking up into his eyes.

Chicago cringed at Chloe's word choice, but he knew that he deserved it after how he'd acted. "I won't keep you from seeing Beca. I know you two have become good friends."

"Well, Beca won't be around me that often anyways," Chloe stated. "She said it was better for us not to be around each other until you two were on good terms again."

"Why would she say that?" Chicago said, the guilt inside of him building up even more.

"She cares about you, Chic. You're her best friend. She doesn't want to hang out with me until you two are on good terms because she doesn't want to lose you," Chloe said, folding her arms.

Chicago looked away from Chloe again after she finished talking. "Man, I've really been a dick to her, haven't I?" He said, sighing and running his fingers through his hair.

"So, what are you going to do to fix it?" Chloe asked, looking at him and waiting for an answer. "Because she's been miserable for the last two weeks and she doesn't deserve that."

"Uh, I don't know," Chicago replied. "But I'll figure something out," he quickly added after seeing the irritated look on Chloe's face.

"Good," Chloe said, taking a deep breath before tucking her hair back. She then wrapped her arms around Chicago's neck. "I hated fighting with you," she whispered, leaning her forehead against his.

"Me too," Chicago said, smiling and resting his hands on Chloe's hips as their foreheads leaned together. "I don't like fighting with you. I don't want to do that again."

"You know that you can talk to me if something's bothering you, right?" Chloe said, looking into his eyes and smiling softly.

"I know that, and I promise that from now on I'll tell you if anything is bothering me," Chicago said, smiling and gazing into Chloe's eyes. "Also, the same goes from me to you. I'll always be here for you, babe."

"I know, baby," Chloe said, smiling before placing a soft kiss on her boyfriend's lips. "Now, you better get to your first class. I'll see you in third period, okay?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then. Love you," Chicago said, smiling and pecking Chloe's lips one last time before heading off to his first class of the day.

"Love you too, babe," the redhead replied, still smiling. As she watched Chicago walk away, Chloe wondered about whether or not she should tell him that she knew Beca was in love with her. _On one hand, Chicago might get mad at me if he finds out that I didn't tell him, but on the other hand he could get mad at Beca again if I tell him._ Chloe sighed and started walking to her first class, still debating on what to do in her head.

 **Will Chloe tell Chicago what she know, or will she keep it a secret. Just so you guys know, we are not planning on having Chicago turn out to be an asshole. That's never been the plan of this story, and it isn't going to be. That being said, sometimes people get angry, upset or scared. And that's how we portrayed Chic for this chapter. Bechloe is still going to be canon and always will be, so we hope you'll stay patient. Because the best is yet to come.**

 **Until Next time.**


	14. Chapter 14: Stacie's Birthday

Chapter 14: Stacie's Birthday

That weekend, Stacie was hosting a small get-together for their friend group to celebrate her 19th birthday. The tall brunette was the oldest out of the group because she had been born slightly past the deadline for the grade level above them. Since Stacie's house was only a few blocks from her own, Beca decided to walk there instead of drive.

As excited as she was to celebrate Stacie's birthday, Beca wasn't really looking forward to the party because she knew that Chicago was going to be there. He hadn't tried to contact her since she visited his house earlier that week, so the brunette assumed that he was done with her. Because of this, Beca was going to have to stay away from Chloe for the foreseeable future, as she didn't want to put any strain on the redhead's relationship with Chicago or her own relationship with the boy.

Beca was one of the first people to get to the birthday party, so she sat with Stacie in the living room as they waited for everyone else to get there. Benji and Emily arrived shortly after Beca did, so the four of them started a conversation while they were waiting. "How does it feel to be nineteen, Conrad?" Beca asked, leaning back against the couch.

"Well, I'm one year closer to being able to drink legally, so you could say it feels pretty good," Stacie chuckled with a smirk on her face.

"That is one positive to turning nineteen. You can buy everyone drinks when we go out," Benji joked before the doorbell rang.

Beca stood up from her seat on the couch. "I'll get that," she said, walking over towards the door to open it for whoever was waiting outside.

Chicago and Chloe were waiting at the door, wearing coats and hats to keep warm. The temperature had been dropping steadily as winter approached, so everyone was dressed nice and cozy for the occasion. "I hope I don't have to remind you to apologize to Beca," Chloe said, her arm linked in Chicago's.

Chicago shook his head. "You don't and won't have to remind me. I'll apologize to her if I get the chance to," he said, smiling and leaning in to give Chloe a quick kiss on the cheek.

That's when Beca opened up the door, doing a double take when she saw the two people she had been avoiding. "Oh, uh, hi," Beca said awkwardly, holding the door open. "Come on in," The brunette looked down at the floor, avoiding eye contact as they walked inside.

Chloe smiled. "Hey, Beca," She then nudged Chicago and whispered, "Now's the perfect time, I'll be in the other room," She then kissed his cheek and left.

Chicago and Beca were left in the front room by themselves. The silence between them grew, neither one of them knowing what to say. Beca continued to stare down at her feet, her hands in her pockets. _I'm not going to be the one to talk first. He's the one who has to apologize_ , the brunette told herself.

"Ummm," Chicago started, trying to find the right words to say. "I just wanted to start off by saying I'm sorry for being a jackass to you for the last couple weeks," He then bit his lip and made eye contact with Beca for the first time in a long time. "I guess the whole situation overwhelmed me, and I was scared that you were going to swoop in and steal Chloe from me," the boy said, looking down again as a feeling of shame swept over him. "Which I know deep down is something you'd never do," he added. After a few moments of silence, he spoke again. "I hope that you'll forgive me and that we can be friends again, because you're my best friend and I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either, Chic," Beca said, looking into Chicago's eyes. "But I can't be your friend if you don't trust me. Yes, I have feelings for Chloe, but I'd never do anything to break you two apart. I don't want to jeopardize your relationship, and I don't want to jeopardize ours either."

"I know, and I'm grateful for that," Chicago said. He stepped forward and opened his arms for a hug, smiling when Beca embraced him back. "I'm glad that we're on good terms again, best friend."

"Yeah, me too. I hate fighting with people. It's so stressful and exhausting," Beca said, smiling and chuckling. "Let's go join the rest of the group. We don't want them to get the party started without us," the brunette said when the hug ended.

The two of them went into the living room to join the rest of the group. "The only people we have to wait for are Cynthia Rose, Jesse, and Aubrey," Stacie told them all.

Chicago sat down next to Chloe and kissed her cheek. "Did you guys sort it out?" Chloe whispered.

Chicago nodded his head. "Yeah, we did. We're back on good terms again," he replied, smiling at Chloe. "I didn't realize how much I missed my best friend until now. I'm glad that we worked things out."

"Good," Chloe said with a smile before turning her attention back to the conversation that everyone else was having.

Once the remaining guests got to the party, Stacie called for everyone's attention. "Alright, fellas and ladies, we're gonna make tonight a night to remember, and what's a better way to start off the night than with an extreme game of Truth or Dare?"

Beca groaned as soon as Stacie said this. She was not a fan of Truth or Dare, and she had never played the extreme version before. "Well, you can count me out. I'll sit back and watch you guys play."

"No, you can't do that. You have to play, Beca," Chloe said, making puppy eyes at the girl. "It's not going to be as fun if one of us sits out."

"Yeah, come on Beca, play with us," Chicago said, nodding his head along with everyone else.

Despite their pleas, Beca wouldn't budge on her stance. "Nope, I'm not playing. I'll play a different game, but I'm not gonna play Truth or Dare," the brunette said.

Stacie raised her eyebrows at these words, then turned to Chloe. "Chloe, I'd try those puppy eyes on her one last time. If it doesn't work, then we'll give up and play another game."

Chloe shook her head. "Guys, if she doesn't want to play, she doesn't have to. Let's just do a game that everyone will feel comfortable playing," She said, smiling softly at Beca.

Beca smiled back at Chloe before looking down. "I mean, I don't want to inconvenience the people that do want to play truth or dare. You guys can play without me. It won't bother me or anything."

"No, let's do something that we all want to do," Stacie said, standing up from her seat on the couch. "You all brought your swimsuits like I asked, right? Why don't we all go for a dip in the pool then?" The suggestion was met with a resounding yes from everyone in the group, and they all grabbed their swimsuits before heading to the indoor pool, which was in the basement of the house.

The pool was at least thirty-five yards long, so there was plenty of space for them. Beca changed into her black bikini, which showed off all her tattoos. The brunette smirked when she caught Chloe looking at her while they walked towards the pool. "You didn't know that I had tattoos, did you?" She asked with a chuckle. "Knowing me, are you even that surprised?" She added, chuckling more.

"No, not really," Chloe replied, smiling and chuckling along with Beca. "I've seen the headphones tattoo on your wrist before, but I've never seen the rose bush on your shoulder. I like it a lot," the redhead said with a genuine smile. "I've been trying to convince my parents to let me get one, but they told me that I have to wait until I can afford it myself."

"I didn't really ask my parents' permission to get my tattoos, I just got them," Beca said, shrugging her shoulders. "I figured that if they really didn't want me to get them, they'd stop me from getting them. They're fun to get in my opinion, even though they do hurt."

"I've always thought tattoos were cool. I might get one for my eighteenth birthday, if I have enough money by then," Chloe said, dropping her towel and setting it on one of the poolside chairs. When she did so, she revealed her purple bikini which perfectly highlighted her figure. When Beca saw how incredible Chloe looked, she struggled but somehow managed to keep her jaw from dropping. The bikini really showed off the redhead's body, an added bonus being that purple was one of the brunette's favorite colors, not to mention that the brunette also could now see Chloe's toned abs.

Everyone else joined them a few minutes later and they all got in the pool. Beca jumped in the water before everyone else, laughing as they all got splashed. "Come on in, guys!" She called out to them, waving for them to join her.

Chicago jumped into the pool after Beca, and then Chloe got in after him. Soon everyone was in the pool, splashing each other and swimming around. Beca and Chicago got in a splash battle, both of them laughing as they tried to avoid each other's attacks. The splash battle slowly started getting out-of-control, and after awhile the whole group was involved

After the splash battle, the group switched from the pool to the hot tub, which was also indoors. Beca sat in one of the corners of the hot tub, Stacie to her right and Emily to her left. "This has been a really fun party, Stace. Thanks for having us over," she said with a smile.

"Of course, you guys are my besties," Stacie said, smiling and nudging Beca. "This is the best night I could ask for, just relaxing with my friends, no drama, no outside worries," She smiled.

Beca smiled back and then looked around at her group of friends, how they were all smiling and enjoying themselves. She truly was lucky to have such an amazing group of friends. "You guys are my second family," Beca stated. "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you guys."She then looked over at Chloe. "Even though we had a rough start, Red, I consider you to be one of my best friends," the brunette said, trying to keep herself from blushing.

Chloe smiled back at Beca and blushed a little, biting her lip as well. "Thanks, Becs. The same goes from me to you. I'm glad that we got through our rough patch in the beginning, because you're now one of my best friends too," the redhead told the brunette.

"I'm glad you guys worked it out, too," Chicago said, leaning over and kissing Chloe's cheek. "I love our little group. It's like Beca said, you guys are my family."

"It's crazy that we're about halfway through our senior year, guys," Jesse said. "In another few months or so, we're all going to go our separate ways."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Emily said with a groan. "Sure, I'm not graduating with you guys, but I'm not going to have any friends once you all leave."

"Hey, you'll still have me," Stacie said. "I'm doing the pre-med program as the University of Washington, so I'll be around if you ever wanna hang out."

"And we're all going to come back and visit you whenever we can," Benji added, kissing his girlfriend's cheek and making her blush.

"I know, but it's just not going to be the same without you guys here," Emily said, smiling sadly. "I hope you all know how much I'm going to miss you."

"We're gonna miss you too," Cynthia Rose said, smiling at Emily.

"We'd all hug you right now, but we're all squeezed pretty tightly in this hot tub," Beca said, making everyone laugh. After the hot tub, everyone was getting changed back into their clothes. Beca put her hair up in a messy side braid after she got dressed in the bathroom by Stacie's bedroom. Once she was finished, she left the bathroom and headed for the staircase to go back down to the living room.

Chloe used one of the guest bedrooms to change out of her swimsuit, but she was having trouble zipping up her dress. She heard footsteps walking down the hall and opened the door, seeing Beca going over to the stairs. "Hey! Beca!" She called out to get the brunette's attention.

Beca turned when she heard her name called, and she saw Chloe standing in the doorway of one of the guest bedrooms. "Yeah? What's up?" She asked, walking over towards her.

"Can you zip up my dress for me? I'm having trouble getting it myself," Chloe explained, turning around when Beca walked over to her.

"Yeah, of course," Beca said. The brunette couldn't help but gaze at Chloe's body—the redhead was absolutely gorgeous. She didn't let that distract her for too long though, and quickly zipped up the redhead's dress. "Alright, there you go. Is there anything else you need?"

"No, that's it. Thank you," Chloe said, smiling gratefully at Beca once she turned to face the brunette.

"Okay then, I'll see you in the living room," Beca said, turning and starting to walk away. She started going down the stairs stopped by Chloe again.

"Thank you for what you said earlier in the hot tub," Chloe stated, smiling and looking down at the ground for a moment. "I'm happy with how close you and I have gotten," she added.

A small smile spread across Beca's face and she nodded, looking down as well. "Yeah, you and I have gotten really close this year. I'm glad that we did, because you're a great person, Chlo. I'm lucky to have you as a friend," she replied.

"Just know that if you ever need to talk to anyone about anything, I'll always be here for you," Chloe said, reaching for Beca's hand. "You deserve to be happy more than anyone in our friend group, Becs."

Beca smiled at Chloe's words and looked down at their hands. "Thanks, Chlo. It means a lot to hear you say that," the brunette said, feeling her face begin to heat up as she blushed a little.

"Well, it's the truth," Chloe said, softly running her thumb over the back of Beca's hand. "I've never seen anyone who deserves the world more than you do," This made Beca chuckle and look at the ground again. "What?" Chloe asked.

The brunette looked back up at the redhead and their eyes met. Beca shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "You're something else, Chloe Beale," She said in a soft voice. "Chicago is very lucky to have you, and I hope he knows that," After she said that, the brunette pulled her hands away from Chloe's and turned to go down the stairs, leaving the redhead alone.

Chloe watched as Beca made her way down the stairs, leaving her standing there by herself and thinking about the interaction they just had. She had to admit that Beca's words made her insides turn to mush. " _You're something else, Chloe Beale...Chicago is very lucky to have you, and I hope he knows that,"_ Chloe replayed those words in her head a couple times, trying to figure out what Beca meant by saying them. _Don't read into it too much, Chloe_ , the redhead told herself, but she couldn't help but wonder if there was another meaning to Beca's words, a meaning that was subtle but would answer the many questions that she had.

The young redhead made her way up to the room where everyone was, sitting next to Chicago. For awhile all Chloe could do was gaze back and forth from Beca to her boyfriend. Thankfully, neither of them noticed that she was doing this, but Stacie and Cynthia Rose did. The two girls watched Chloe for a few moments then exchanged a look, Stacie smirking slightly while Cynthia Rose raised an eyebrow. They didn't say anything, however, instead letting their facial expressions do all the talking.

A few minutes later, Stacie got up to get drinks for everyone, Cynthia Rose going with her. "Did you see that?" Cynthia Rose asked as she poured some shots of vodka. "Has something happened between the two of them?"

"I don't know, but I'd totally ship it if Chloe wasn't with Chicago," Stacie said, a smirk still on her face.

Cynthia Rose nodded her head, then looked back over into the living room, where Chloe was still looking back and forth between Chicago and Beca. "Do you think we should ask her about it?"

"I don't think so. If Chloe has something to talk about with us, she'll come to us," Stacie replied, grabbing some beers for the Beca and the guys. "I think I know a game we can play that everyone loves, even Beca," She grabbed an empty beer bottle and then walked in the room where everyone else was. "Let's play Spin the Bottle!"

Everyone cheered at this suggestion, some laughing as well since they were all tipsy by now. "Yes! I love this game!" Beca exclaimed giddily. "And I have a bigger chance of getting to kiss a girl than a guy. This is awesome!" The rest of the group, even Chicago, chuckled at Beca's antics and got ready to play the game.

Once they were all sitting on the floor in a circle, Stacie put the empty beer bottle in the middle. "So we all know the rules of the game, right?" She asked, speaking again after everyone nodded their heads. "Alright then, let's start. Who wants to go first?"

To everyone's surprise, Aubrey was the first person to raise their hand. "I'll go first!" She said with a drunken giggle, moving into the center of the circle before spinning the bottle. The bottle spun around a few times before landing on Chicago, making everyone else whistle and cheer.

"Remember that it can't just be a peck on the lips!" Stacie called out with a smirk. "According to the rules, you have to make out for at least ten seconds."

"Come here, Captain Walp," Aubrey said, smiling at Chicago as he moved into the center of the circle to meet her. The blonde didn't waste any time, grabbing him and smashing their lips together, everyone whistling and cheering as they kissed.

"Alright you two, it's been ten seconds. Don't make us have to pull you apart," Beca said with a chuckle. "Who's gonna go next?" She asked once Chicago and Aubrey had left the middle of the circle and returned to their spots.

Stacie, who was sitting next to Aubrey, raised her hand. "It's my birthday, so I'll go next. Then we'll just go in a circle," she said, moving into the middle of the circle. The tall brunette picked up the bottle and then spun it, Jesse doing a drumroll as the bottle spun around the circle before landing on Emily. Stacie smirked and then motioned for Emily to join her in the circle. They leaned in, Stacie turning and saying "Sorry Benji" before they kissed, making everyone both laugh and cheer.

After Stacie went, it was Cynthia Rose's turn to spin the bottle, and it landed on Benji when she did. Cynthia Rose turned to look at Emily and said "Sorry Em," before she and Benji shared a kiss, making the rest of the group chuckle again.

Before she knew it, it was Chloe's turn. Beca had had to kiss Jesse, Chicago had kissed Aubrey again, and Jesse had kissed Chloe. Now it was Chloe's turn to spin. She spun the bottle fast on the wooden floor and everyone waited for it to stop. Then it stopped right where Stacie and Cynthia wanted it to stop. Right in front of Beca, making the girl's eyes go wide. _This cannot be happening right now_ , was the only coherent thought going through the brunette's mind. She looked over at Stacie and Cynthia Rose, who smirked back at her and gestured for her to join Chloe in the middle of the circle. The brunette moved into the middle and sat there, looking away from Chloe so the redhead didn't see how nervous she was.

For a moment, Chicago's heart stopped. But he quickly got over it, knowing it was just a silly game and that the kiss wouldn't mean anything. He watched as Chloe moved into the center towards Beca, the brunette doing the same thing.

Chloe was just at anxious as Beca, knowing that this would be an interesting and new experience. She'd never kissed a girl before, but she was glad that the first one she kissed would be Beca. "You ready?" The redhead asked.

Beca gulped and then nodded her head. "I'm ready when you are," she said, moving closer to Chloe. She looked up from the floor, her eyes meeting Chloe's instantly. Beca smiled a little and bit her lip, still gazing into Chloe's eyes.

The two of them stayed there for a moment, nervous and excited for what was to come. Chloe didn't know why she was so nervous to kiss Beca; maybe it was because this would be her chance to give Beca the kiss she'd always wanted from the redhead. A few moments later, Chloe knew it was time, time seemed to slow down once her hand was cupping Beca's cheek.

"Remember, no pecks," Stacie said with that same smug expression on her face. "You have to makeout for at least ten seconds."

"Got it," Beca said, her eyes still on Chloe. She then began to lean in and close the gap once more. Before she knew it, her lips were on Chloe's. The kiss was absolutely magical—Chloe's lips were softer and sweeter than Beca could have ever imagined. The two girls got into it slowly and surely, Beca sliding her tongue across Chloe's bottom lip to ask for entrance so their tongues could dance around for awhile. As the kissing continued, Beca wondered if Chloe was enjoying it as much as she was.

The two girls pulled away from the kiss to catch their breath a few moments later. Beca could feel a blush creeping up onto her face, and she looked down at the floor so Chloe didn't see that. "You two really took to heart what I said about no pecks," Stacie commented with a chuckle, making everyone else laugh as well.

Beca took a deep breath and then shrugged her shoulders. "I've never been a person to do half-ass things," she stated, trying to avoid eye contact with the redheaded girl sitting across from her.

"Well, you certainly didn't half-ass that," Jesse added with a smirk spreading across his face, making Beca blush even more.

After Spin the Bottle ended, it was time for presents. Beca's present to Stacie was a song, so it was decided that she would go last. In the meantime, everyone else gave their gifts to Stacie. The tall brunette smiled as she looked at all the different bags and boxes, unsure which one to open first. "Guys, can you help me here?" She asked with a laugh. "I'm not sure where to start."

"Here, open mine," Cynthia Rose said, handing her a small purple envelope.

Stacie opened it and her jaw dropped. "No way!" She exclaimed, squealing excitedly when she saw what was in the envelope.

"What is it?" Jesse asked curiously.

"Cynthia Rose and I are going to see Khalid in March!" Stacie said, taking the two concert tickets out of the envelope before leaning over to hug Cynthia Rose. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" She said happily.

"That's an awesome present, but now it's going to be hard for the rest of us to top that," Jesse said with a chuckle, the rest of the group nodding their heads in agreement. "Here, you can open my present next," he said, handing a gift bag to Stacie.

Stacie opened up Jesse's gift and smiled. "Aw, Jesse," She said, taking out the gift, which was a beautiful necklace with a sun emblem. "This is beautiful. Thank you."

"It's from my grandma's jewelry store. I told her that I needed a necklace that embodied you," Jesse said, smiling his charming smile. "This is what she came up with and it's made of real bronze."

"Wow, that's so cool. Thank you so much, Jesse," Stacie said, smiling and hugging her friend before putting on the necklace. She then grabbed one of the other gift bags and looked at the tag on it, seeing it was from Emily. "I'm going to open yours now, Em, if that's okay with you," she said to the girl.

"Of course," Emily said, smiling at her friend. Once everyone else had given their presents to Stacie, it was Beca's turn. "Alright. This was a really tough song to write, because Stacie, you are so strong and confident. I think we can all say that you are the most confident out of our group. So I thought I'd write you a song to listen to whenever you feel like you need a little confidence boost," Beca stated with a big smile on her face before nodding for Jesse and Benji to grab their instruments from the other room. "CR, Emily, are you ready?" She asked, both girls nodding and coming over to sing with Beca. "This is called 'Put Your Records On,' and I hope you like it."

"Put Your Records On"- Corinne Bailey Rae

 **CR: "** Three little birds sat on my window

And they told me I don't need to worry.

Summer cake like cinnamon, so sweet.

Little girls, double-dutch on the concrete."

 **Emily: "** Maybe sometimes we got it wrong, but it's all right.

The more things seem to change, the more they stay the same.

Ooh, don't you hesitate."

By now, everyone watching the performance was nodding along to the beat of the music as the five continued to perform. Beca took the lead for the chorus, with Emily and Cynthia Rose backing her up with harmonies.

 **Beca:** "Girl, put your records on,

Tell me your favorite song.

You go ahead, let your hair down.

So far in faded jeans,

I hope you get your dreams.

Just go ahead let your hair down."

 **Beca, Emily, CR:** "You're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow."

While this was going on, Chloe couldn't help but watch Beca as she played the guitar and sang. Usually, Chloe would get lost in the music, but her eyes and her mind were on Beca this time. The redhead didn't know why this was; maybe it was because the song was so beautifully written, or the incredible kiss they had shared during Spin the Bottle. Either way, all Chloe knew was that she couldn't get Beca out of her head.

 **Beca: "** Blue as the sky, sunburnt and lonely

Sipping tea in the bar by the roadside."

 **Emily:** "Just relax, just relax."

 **CR and Emily:** "Don't you let those other boys fool you,

Gotta love that Afro hairdo."

 **Beca:** "Maybe sometimes we feel afraid, but it's all right.

The more you stay the same, the more they seem to change.

Don't you think it's strange?"

It was safe to say that Stacie was enjoying the performance more than anyone else, as the tall brunette was now on her feet at this point and dancing along to the song. "Come on, guys!" She said to everyone else, trying to get them to join her as the song reached its chorus again.

 **Beca, Emily, CR:** "Girl, put your records on,

Tell me your favorite song.

You go ahead, let your hair down.

So far in faded jeans,

I hope you get your dreams.

Just go ahead let your hair down.

You're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow."

Everyone was up and dancing by the bridge of the song. Chicago had his arm wrapped around Chloe's shoulder as they all swayed back and forth to the groove.

 **Beca:** "Just more than I could take,  
Pity for pity's sake.  
Some nights kept me awake.  
I thought that I was stronger.  
When you gonna realize that you don't even have to try any longer?  
Do what you want to."

 **Beca, Emily, CR: "** Girl, put your records on,

Tell me your favorite song.

You go ahead, let your hair down.

Sapphire and faded jeans,

I hope you get your dreams.

You go ahead, let your hair down.

Girl, put your records on,

Tell me your favorite song.

You go ahead, let your hair down.

Sapphire and faded jeans,

I hope you get your dreams.

Just go ahead, let your hair down.

Ooh, you're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow."

After the song ended, everyone started clapping and cheering wildly. "That was so incredible, Beca! Thank you!" Stacie said, smiling widely and hugging her friend.

Beca smiled back at Stacie and shrugged her shoulders. "It's the least I could do to repay you for being an amazing friend," she replied. "Now, if you're ever feeling down, you have a song that was written just for you to pick you up and make you smile."

"I couldn't have asked for a more amazing song Beca. Thank you," Stacie said before hugging Beca again.

"Happy birthday, Conrad," Beca chuckled as they pulled back from the hug.

Stacie smiled and then looked at all of her friends. "Thank you guys for celebrating my birthday with me tonight. I wouldn't have wanted to celebrate it with anyone else."

A little while later, the party ended and it was time to head home. Beca and Chloe decided to ride in an Uber together, since they lived next door to each other. while Chicago caught an Uber with Jesse, since they lived near each other as well. Beca was quiet for the first couple minutes of the ride. She looked over at Chloe for a moment and then looked away. The truth was she couldn't get the kiss out of her head, and being along with Chloe wasn't helping. The girl looked as beautiful as ever, and she was wearing a pretty tight party dress that fit her body like a glove.

Beca then decided to speak up, wanting to make the situation less awkward. "So, what did you think of the song?" She asked, slurring her words a little since she was still buzzed from the alcohol.

Chloe was a little surprised when Beca started talking, as she hadn't said a word to her since their kiss during Spin the Bottle, but she quickly recovered and answered the brunette's question. "I loved the song, Beca, just like I love every song of yours. It's crazy how talented of a songwriter and performer you are."

"Thanks, I just wanted to make sure that everyone liked it," Beca said, smiling and running her hand through her hair absentmindedly. Another silence fell over the two of them. "Chicago told me that your Juilliard audition is coming up. Are you nervous?" She asked, trying to talk about anything that could get her mind off of the kiss.

"How can I not be?" Chloe asked, laughing and then sighing. She ran her fingers through her hair, looking away from Beca. "Hundreds and hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people like me apply to Juilliard. A miracle would have to happen for me to get in," she said glumly. "I know there's a lot of factors that determine whether or not you get accepted, but I'm probably not as talented or as experienced as some of the other people who are going to be auditioning."

"Well, you'll never get in if you keep thinking like that," Beca stated, which made the redhead turn and look at her. "Chlo, you don't realize how incredible you are when you play piano. Listening to you play is like being in another world. I've never heard someone play the piano like you," She said genuinely. "You're going to get in. You know how I know that?"

"How do you know?" Chloe asked curiously, waiting for an answer.

"I know that you're going to get in because you share the same passion for music that I do. You won't let anything stop you from reaching your dream, not to mention that you make the whole world disappear around you when you play a melody," Beca said in an honest tone. "Even if there were a million students who applied this year to Juilliard, you'd be among the few they select to come study with them. You have a gift, Chloe, a gift that not many people possess."

Chloe couldn't help but blush at Beca's words. "Thank you," she said in a soft voice, looking down at her hands. "If you applied to Juilliard, you'd definitely get in. I mean, I know you're going to LA after graduation, but you definitely have the talent to make it into Juilliard," the redhead added a few moments later.

"If I have the talent to get into a place as prestigious as Juilliard, then you do too, Redc" Beca stated, nodding her head to assure Chloe. "You're the most talented person I know, besides me," the brunette said in a joking tone.

This made Chloe smile and giggle a little. She turned her head and looked at Beca, making eye contact with the brunette. "Thank you for cheering me up, Becs. You're always there for me when I need a friend, and I appreciate it."

"I care about you, Chlo," Beca said as the Uber pulled up to their houses. "I meant what I said earlier at Stacie's party," They thanked their Uber driver and then got out of the car, walking to the steps of Beca's porch and sitting down.

The two of them sat on the steps for a while, looking up at the stars illuminated in the night sky. "I'm so glad that I met you," Chloe said, breaking the silence that had been brewing between them. "We didn't start off on the right foot, but I'm so glad that we're friends now."

Beca smiled at Chloe's words and then leaned back against the step behind her, bringing one knee up and rest her arm on it while she looked up at the beautiful Seattle night sky. "When we first met, I made snap judgements about you. I thought you were some snobby, rich girl who got everything she wanted. I thought you were someone who never had to work for anything before, and I couldn't have been more wrong. You're one of the coolest people I've ever met Chloe, and you're kind to everyone, no matter what. I wish I could be like that."

"You are like that, Beca, even if you don't think you are," Chloe said, looking over at the brunette. "You're really cool, and you're really kind. Sure, it took awhile to get you to like me, but that doesn't mean that you're not kind. You're an incredible person and you should know that."

Beca looked down for a moment, sighing to herself as she thought about Chloe's words. _If I'm so incredible, why did you choose Chicago and not me?_ She thought to herself for a moment. "Eh, I'm not incredible. I'm average," She chuckled.

"Oh, stop that. You know you're not just average," Chloe said, chuckling along with Beca and playfully slapping her arm. "You don't give yourself enough credit for how talented you are and how awesome you are," the redhead added.

"If you say so," Beca said with a small smile that quickly began to fade. She turned her attention back up to the sky, trying to figure out the constellations.

Just then, Chloe's phone buzzed in her pocket, and she took it out to see a text from Chicago. The message read:

 **Chicago:** Hey babe, I'm home safe. I hope you are too. Love you and sleep well.

Beca watched as Chloe typed out a quick reply, saying she had gotten home with an "I love you" at the end of the message as well. "This is a completely hypothetical question, but what do you look for in someone?"

Beca's question came at Chloe out of nowhere, so the redhead was definitely a little surprised by it. "Who? Me? What do I look for in someone?" She asked for clarification.

Beca chuckled and nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm talking to you. There's nobody else who I could be talking to."

"I don't really know," Chloe started, biting her lip as she thought about it for a moment. "I guess I look for someone who's kind, with a good sense of humor. I like it when they have a good smile, and if they can make me smile and laugh. Someone who's honest," she finished. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Beca said, smiling softly before staring at her hands. "Chicago's all of those things?" She said, looking back over at Chloe.

Chloe smiled and then nodded her head. "Yeah, he's the whole package," she said, biting down on her lip again.

"Well, he's got the whole package too. I mean, he's got the whole package with you," Beca said, feeling herself get choked up. "And if he doesn't know that by now, then he's a dumbass," Beca said before closing her eyes and laying her head back against the railing of the stairs.

Chloe noticed the change in Beca's tone and how she seemed to be trying not to cry. "Beca?" She said in a gentle voice, getting the brunette's attention. "How are you? We're around each other a lot, but I don't always get to ask you how you're doing."

"If I'm being completely honest, I've been feeling somewhere in the middle," Beca said, shaking her head for a second. "For the most part, my life is great and I wouldn't change a thing. There are just somethings that I wish were different, if that makes any sense."

"Yeah, I get what you mean," Chloe said. "If you need someone to talk to, or if you need help with anything, I'm here for you. You know that, right?"

"I do know that, I just-" Beca started, then stopped herself as she couldn't figure out what to say next. "I just feel like there are things about me that if I told you, you'd run away or think I was some-" she trailed off, still struggling to find the words.

Chloe raised an eyebrow in confusion at this response. "What? I wouldn't run away or judge you, Beca," the redhead told the brunette genuinely. "What makes you think I'd do those things?" She asked.

"If I tell you something, you have to promise not to tell anyone else." Beca said, trying to process what she was about to say to Chloe.

Chloe blinked a few times as her brain processed Beca's words. She quickly figured out what the "something" that Beca was talking about, but she didn't let on to the fact that she knew. "Okay," she said slowly, looking into Beca's eyes. "If it's that personal, you don't have to tell me. I don't want you to feel like you have to tell me anything."

"I think it would be better if I did this through a song. Is that okay?" Beca asked.

"Yeah, of course. Whatever is most comfortable for you," Chloe replied, wondering what song Beca was about to sing.

"Okay, cool," Beca then grabbed her guitar case and opened it up, taking out her guitar. She made sure it was tuned up before starting to play a soft melody she'd learned a while ago that she recently wrote lyrics for.

"I Wish"- One Direction

"He takes your hand, I die a little.

I watch your eyes, and I'm in riddles.

Why can't you look at me like that?

When you walk by, I try to say it.

But then I freeze, and never do it.

My tongue gets tied, the words get trapped.

I hear the beat of my heart getting louder

Whenever I'm near you.

But I see you with him,

Slow dancing.

Tearing me apart 'cause you don't see.

Whenever you kiss him,

I'm breaking.

Oh, how I wish that was me."

As she continued to sing, Chloe felt her throat tighten and tears well up in her eyes. This was it: Beca was confessing her feelings for her in one of the most beautiful yet heartbreaking ways. The redhead tried to hold the tears in but couldn't keep a few of them from falling as the brunette continued to sing.

"He looks at you the way that I would,

Does all the things I know that I could.

If only time could just turn back.

'Cause I've got three little words that I've always been dying to tell you.

But I see you with him,

Slow dancing.

Tearing me apart 'cause you don't see.

Whenever you kiss him,

I'm breaking.

Oh, how I wish that was me."

Beca's eyes were on Chloe as she moved to the bridge of the song, and she noticed the tears in Chloe's eyes. She didn't know what to think of Chloe's tears, making a mental note of it and continuing to sing.

"With my hands on your waist,

While we dance in the moonlight.

I wish it was me that you'll call

Later on 'cause you wanna say goodnight.

'Cause I see you with him,

Slow dancing.

Tearing me apart 'cause you don't see.

And I see you with him,

Slow dancing.

Tearing me apart 'cause you don't see.

Whenever you kiss him,

I'm breaking.

Oh, how I wish,

Oh, how I wish,

Oh, how I wish that was me."

As she finished the song, silence dropped on them like a thousand pounds of concrete being dropped on the ground. Beca waited, hoping Chloe would say something. The silence between the two only grew, however, and Beca's heart dropped with each second that passed. She looked down at the ground, shuffling her feet awkwardly. "God, just say something, Chlo. Anything at all. Please."

"I-I..." Chloe stuttered, her lips trembling and her heart racing as she tried to think of what to say.

The brunette just shook her head and put her guitar back in her case, closing it up and shaking her head. "I shouldn't have said anything," She muttered under her breath, closing her eyes and wiping a couple tears with her thumbs. "I knew this was going to happen," The brunette then turned away from Chloe, walking towards the front door of her house when the redhead stopped her.

"Beca! Wait!" Chloe stood up and followed Beca, grabbing her arm and turning her so they were facing each other.

"What, Chloe? Are you just going to stutter and then not say anything like you did before? Or are you going to lie to me to make me feel better?" Beca snapped, pulling her arm away. "I don't need you to try to soften the blow. That's not going to do any good."

"What do you want me to say then?" Chloe asked, trying to get Beca to look in her eyes.

"I don't fucking know, Chloe! If you say what I want you to say, it won't be true! You're with Chicago, not me! You're in love with my best friend, and I have to sit and watch you two every day. I've tried so hard to get you out of my head. I've written song after song about you, because that's how I got over Olivia. Nothing I do is working this time, though, and it fucking sucks because you're never going to love me like I love you!" She said, tears streaming down her face.

"Why is it my fault that you fell in love with me?" Chloe asked, a hint of anger in her voice. "I didn't do anything to hurt you, Beca, so don't act like I did. I'm sorry if you're hurt by me dating Chicago, but I'm not dating him because I want to make you miserable. I'm dating him because he's a great guy and I care about him."

"Don't twist my words. I never said you did this to hurt me. Not once did I say that! Falling for someone who can't love you back is one of the worst feelings in the world, but how would you know that? Every single guy here has probably thought about asking you out, and Chicago was practically your boyfriend before you even broke up with Tom. All I want is to love someone who loves me back!" She yelled, opening the front door and slamming it behind her. Once she got inside, the girl slid down to the floor, holding her head in her hands and trying to forget what just happened.

Chloe stood there at Beca's door, not knowing what to do next. She walked up and grabbed the door handle of the Mitchells' front door, almost beginning to turn the knob. The redhead's hand rested on the doorknob for awhile as she debated what to do in her head. Eventually, she decided that trying to continue the conversation wasn't worth it, so she turned around and started walking back to her own house. Chloe sighed, running her fingers through her hair and blinking away a few tears that were threatening to fall. _Well, I don't think that could've gone much worse_ , she thought to herself.

 **Sorry for the dramatic end! But Beca's finally told Chloe she loves her, and they had a pretty 'steamy' kiss during spin the bottle. How do you think Chloe felt about it? And how do you think that they're going to resolve it after their Christmas break? Stay tuned!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	15. Chapter 15: A Brand New Year

Chapter 15: A Brand New Year

About a month had passed since Stacie's birthday, and everyone was getting back from the vacations they had taken over winter break. It had been two weeks since they had seen each other last, so Chloe excitedly ran out of the front door and jumped into Chicago's arms when he showed up on her porch. The boy had spent his Christmas vacation visiting some of the colleges that had given him scholarship offers, so the two of them didn't talk that much, let alone spend time together over break.

"Oh, how I've missed you," Chicago said with a grin as he kissed Chloe for the first time in two weeks. He then set her back down on the ground so they could go inside her house to make some hot chocolate, since it was cold and snowy outside. "I have your Christmas present with me because I didn't get to give it to you before winter break."

Chloe smiled and kissed her boyfriend a second time. "Thank you, babe. I have your Christmas present upstairs in my room. I'll go get it once we're done making the hot chocolate," she said, grabbing two mugs from one of the kitchen cupboards.

Chicago set his present for Chloe on the counter while they waited the water to finish heating up in the microwave. "How was your Christmas babe?" He asked smiling as Chloe took out the hot chocolate mix.

"My Christmas was great," Chloe replied with a smile. "I wish that I would've gotten to celebrate it with you, but I'm glad that you got to do some college visits. How did that go?" She asked.

"It went really well, actually. I visited NYU, Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, and then the University of Southern California. It was a busy couple of weeks, but I think I know the three I've narrowed my list down to," Chicago stated, smiling at Chloe. "I've narrowed it down to USC, Nebraska, and NYU," He said with a big smile on his face, knowing Chloe would be happy that NYU was in his top three.

Just like Chicago had predicted, Chloe squealed with excitement. "Yay! You definitely should go to NYU," Chloe said, smiling widely at her boyfriend. "I mean, I guess I am a little biased, but I would love to have you in New York with me."

"I still have a lot of time to figure things out, but it's definitely in my top three," He said, hugging her and leaving a couple kisses on her neck. "Why don't you go get my present from upstairs and I'll get the hot chocolate ready?" Chicago said, pulling back and getting the water out of the microwave.

"Okay, I'll be right back," Chloe said, smiling and pecking Chicago's lips before going to get the present from her room. She came back down a few minutes later with the gift, setting it on the table in the dining room then going back into the kitchen.

Chicago had the hot chocolate in two seperate mugs, one for each of them. He then reached over and grabbed his present for Chloe. "Here, open mine," He said, handing her the box. He had gotten Chloe a few things. Inside the box was a beautiful blue winter sweater, and then a picture frame with a picture of them on their first date. It was Chloe taking a selfie of them while she sat on his lap and he was giving her a kiss on her cheek. The last thing he gave her was a small but beautiful diamond necklace that belonged to his great grandma in the early 1900's, and had been cleaned and well kept. "I hope you like all of it. Merry Christmas, Chloe. "

Chloe gasped as she looked at the three gifts Chicago had gotten her. "Chic…" She trailed off, speechless at how beautiful the picture and necklace were. "Chic, this is amazing. Thank you so much," Chloe said, still in awe of the two gifts. She put the necklace on with Chicago's help, then turned to Chicago and pulled him into a sweet kiss. "Thank you so, so much."

"There is a sweater too, you know," He chuckled before kissing her back and holding onto her waist. "That necklace was my great-grandma's. My great-grandpa gave it to her when they first got married, and then she gave it to my grandpa to give to my grandma when they first got together. Then it was given to my father for my mother, and now it's my turn to give it to you."

"I love it, Chic. Thank you so much for giving this to me," Chloe said with a wide smile. She then went and got her present for Chicago, giving it to him so he could open it. "Now it's your turn. I hope you like it," the redhead said, biting her lip in a cute way.

Chicago took the box from Chloe with a sweet smile on his face before he began to unwrap it. "I wonder what it could be," he said with a wink, opening up the box once he had unwrapped it. "No way!" He exclaimed as he opened it, smiling at Chloe. "A signed Russell Wilson jersey? He's my favorite quarterback!" He said with wide eyes and a huge smile on his face.

"And, I was able to pull a few strings to get us VIP passes to the next Seahawks' home game, which is against the Steelers. My dad's company is one of the community sponsors for the team, and these passes will let us go down on the field during the game!" Chloe said, pulling the passes out of her back pocket.

Chicago's grin grew even more, and he embraced Chloe tightly. "Thank you so much, babe! This is so awesome!" He said excitedly, hugging Chloe for a few more moments before pulling away. "Thank you for doing all this. This is so cool!"

"Merry Christmas, babe," Chloe said, leaning in and kissing Chicago's lips softly.

"Merry Christmas to you too," Chicago murmured, smiling and sighing happily.

Meanwhile, Beca's family had just gotten home from their trip to Vancouver, which was where Jacob's parents lived. Once the car was in their driveway, Beca got out of the car and helped the twins get out before carrying her stuff in the house. The brunette had spent the last few weeks working on getting in shape for basketball season, which would be starting very soon. She had a great season the year before, so the coach decided to make her one of the team captains for this year, and she was hoping to lead the team to a state title this year.

Once she had unpacked all her stuff, Beca grabbed her basketball bag and went out to her car. Since everyone was getting back from their vacations that day, Hartford High's gym was going to be empty, meaning the brunette could have it all to herself. While their team was very good, Hartford was in one of the most competitive divisions for Washington high school sports, so Beca needed to make sure that she was playing to the best of her ability.

Preparing for basketball season wasn't the only reason that Beca was going to shoot hoops, however. The brunette hadn't seen or talked to Chloe since the night of Stacie's party, and after how that night turned out, she didn't really want to. Beca had avoided Chloe as much as possible up until winter break, and she planned on continuing to do that as long as she had to. Besides, the redhead hadn't tried to talk to her since, so Beca assumed that she didn't want to talk to her either.

Once she got to the school, she parked her car in the student lot and then went to the gym, unlocking the door with her student ID card. Beca grabbed a rack of basketballs from the locker room, starting off with some simple layups. She then moved to jump shots and free throws before practicing her three-pointers. To have a little fun, the brunette tried some half-court shots, but only a couple of them ended up anywhere close to the rim.

Beca was about an hour and a half into her practice when she heard her phone buzzing. She went over to her bag and opened it, seeing that Chicago was calling her. The brunette went and sat in the bleachers, wiping the sweat off of her forehead with a towel before accepting the call. "Hey, Chicago! Long time, no talk. What's up?"

"Hey, Beca," Chicago said through the phone. "Not much is up with me. I'm on my way home from Chloe's house. We had some hot chocolate and exchanged presents. What are you up to?"

"I'm at the gym practicing for basketball season. There's nobody else here right now, which is nice," Beca said, taking a sip from her water bottle. "How were the college visits?"

"They were great. All of the colleges were really nice, but I've narrowed the list down to NYU, Nebraska, and USC," Chicago replied. "Chloe is really happy that NYU is in my top three."

"I bet she is," Beca said, smiling to herself for a second as she thought about the redhead. "Is there one you're leaning towards?"

"Not at the moment. I've still got a couple months to make my decision. My choice is pretty much made if Chloe gets into Juilliard, but we'll just have to wait and see how that goes," Chicago said.

"I just hope that if Chloe gets into Juilliard, that you're going to NYU because that's where you want to go," Beca said, sipping her water. "Chloe's great and I know you love her, but you should go to NYU because it's where you want to go, not because that's where your girlfriend will be."

"Believe me, I want to go to NYU. I'd be happy to go to any of the colleges that have given me offers. Now I just have to figure out which one is the best fit for me," Chicago said. "I was hoping that I'd get an offer from Georgia, but I'm perfectly happy with all the other offers I've gotten," he added.

Beca smiled. "You still might get an offer from Georgia. Just know that I'll buy a jersey with your name on it no matter where you go," She stated, through the phone.

Chicago smiled and chuckled at these words. "Thanks. You can count on me buying all of your albums. I know for a fact that you're going to make it big when you go to LA."

"You'll also be my guest at the first Grammy's that I ever attend," Beca said, chuckling. "And you can hold me to that, as long as I get to watch from the field when you play in a bowl game."

"Alright, it's a deal. I'll be there for you, and you'll be there for me," Chicago said with a smile.

"Sounds like a plan," Beca said. "I better get back to practicing. The season starts in a couple days, and I need to keep at it if we're going to win state this year."

"You'll be able to do it, Beca. You're the best player on the team, maybe even one of the best players in the state. If anyone can lead the Hartford Hawks to a state title, it's you," Chicago said genuinely.

"That's easy for you to say, Mr. Football," Beca said with a chuckle. "I'll see you at school on Monday," she said before hanging up the phone.

Monday came along and Beca received her schedule for the second semester of senior year and her last semester of high school. Her last period was a free period, so she would be able to work on her music and practice basketball. The brunette had fulfilled all her requirements for graduation, so she only had electives left to take, meaning that this last semester was going to be a fun one. Some of the classes Beca was going to be taking included pottery, culinary basics, and music appreciation. She was also going to be a library helper again this semester.

After picking up her schedule from the front office, Beca went to her locker, putting her backpack inside and grabbing the materials she needed for her first class, which was pottery. The brunette closed her locker once she had all her stuff, turning around to see Chloe walking down the hall towards her own locker. They hadn't spoken since the night of Stacie's party, and Beca did have to admit that she felt a little guilty for the way she got angry with Chloe after she confessed her feelings for the redhead. Beca knew that they'd have to talk about what happened at some point, but for the time being she just had to focus on getting through the semester.

The pottery class was in the art room down in the basement floor of the school, so Beca had to go down a couple flights of stairs to get there. She smiled as she walked into the class and sat down at a table. She didn't really know why she was taking pottery—when she filled out her course requests for this school year, she just put down a bunch of random electives—but she heard that it was both a fun class and an easy class, so the brunette was looking forward to it.

As people started filing into the classroom, Beca looked around the room at all the different art pieces that were on the walls or displayed on shelves. Seeing all the art made her smile, and the brunette couldn't wait to make some of her own in this class. Beca looked back over at the door, doing a double-take when she saw Chloe standing in the doorway. _Well, isn't this great?_ Beca thought to herself. Despite them being on bad terms at the moment, the brunette gestured for the redhead to come sit with her since neither of them knew anyone else in the class.

Chloe was a bit surprised that Beca motioned for her to sit next to her, considering that they hadn't made up after their fight after Stacie's party, but she walked over and sat down next to the brunette with a smile on her face. "Hey. I didn't think I'd see you here. You like pottery?"

"I've always wanted to try it," Beca said, smiling quickly at Chloe before looking back down at her notebook. She could notice the redhead was acting hesitant, so Beca decided to clear the air "Look, I'm not mad at you anymore. I actually wasn't ever really upset with you, I was just frustrated because I'll never know what it's like."

"What it's like to what?" Chloe asked curiously.

"I want to know what it's like to be with you, to hold your hand, to kiss you. All the things that couples do," Beca stated, finally making eye contact with Chloe.

"You have kissed me," Chloe said, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Yeah, but it was during a game of Spin the Bottle, and we were both drunk," Beca added, shaking her head and looking down. "It wasn't real."

Chloe opened her mouth to say something, but she didn't get the words out before the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Their teacher, Mrs. Andrews, stood at the front of the room and introduced herself before taking attendance. Chloe turned to Beca a little while later to try to resume their conversation from earlier, but the brunette was turned away from her then, so the redhead decided not to pursue the conversation any further.

At the end of the class, Beca grabbed her stuff and walked to the door, holding it for everyone on their way out. Chloe was the last one to leave, so Beca decided to walk with her for a little bit. "How was your Christmas?" She asked, hoping to make the situation less awkward.

"It was good. We didn't go anywhere for a vacation, but we still had a good time. How was your Christmas?" Chloe asked as she and Beca walked down the hallway towards their lockers.

"We drove down to Vancouver to spend Christmas with my dad's family," Beca said, playing with the straps on her backpack. "It was pretty nice," She then stopped in the middle of the hallway. "I know I already said this, but I wasn't ever really mad at you. Because it would be selfish and stupid of me to be mad at you for not loving me when you're straight and I'm as gay as Kate McKinnon doing an impression of Ellen Degeneres," she said with a chuckle.

Chloe smiled and chuckled at Beca's last few words. "I'm at fault too, Becs. I shouldn't have gotten mad at you the way I did, and I shouldn't have twisted your words the way I did," The redhead looked down at her feet for a few moments before looking back up at Beca. "Can we call a truce?"

"Yeah, we can," Beca said before holding out her hand for Chloe to shake. "You've become one of my closest friends, and I hope the fact that I'm in love with you won't change that. I don't want any trouble. I just want you to treat me as if I never told you. Does that sound good to you?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good to me," she replied with a smile as she shook Beca's hand. "So, what class do you have next?" The redhead asked.

"I have music appreciation," Beca said as they walked down the hall together. "I'm hoping that it's a fun class. I heard that we're starting the semester with learning about classics from the beginning of the twentieth century, and we're going to work our way towards the present day from there. What about you? What classes do you have this semester?"

"Well, I have pottery, but you already knew that," Chloe said with a little laugh. "I have a couple of core classes that I have to take because I'm a transfer, but all my other classes are electives, so I'm happy about that."

"When is your free period? Chicago told me that your Juilliard audition is next month. If you want, I can help you practice your audition songs if we have the same free period," Beca offered.

"My free period is during last period. I'd really appreciate it if you'd help me with my audition songs. Thank you for offering to help me. It means a lot," Chloe said with a smile. "If I'm being honest, I'm really nervous for my audition. I feel like no matter how much time I spend practicing my songs, I'm still going to be underprepared," the redhead admitted a few moments later, looking down as she spoke.

"We'll find you the perfect song, Chlo," Beca said, smiling softly at the girl and taking her hand, making the other girl smile. "I said before that they'd be stupid not to take you, and I meant that. We'll find you a few perfect audition songs, so you can feel extra ready for your audition."

Chloe smiled and blushed a little after Beca finished speaking, looking down at the floor as well. "Thanks, Beca. You know that you don't have to do all this for me, right?"

"I know, but I want to. I know how nerve-wracking auditions can be. There's a Battle of the Bands coming up, and Trio's audition for it is next week," Beca stated. "I'll help you find your audition songs. It'll be a fun way to get my auditions off of my mind. I have to head to class, so I'll text you during free period," Beca said with a smile on her face before turning to head the other way.

"Okay, sounds good. I know I've said this a lot already, but thank you," Chloe said, smiling at Beca. "I'll talk to you later!" She called after the brunette as they went their separate ways to their next classes.

Later that day, Chicago was wandering the halls during his free period when he heard two familiar voices singing from one of the practicing rooms. He looked in the window and smiled when he saw Beca and Chloe singing while Chloe played the piano. The boy stood there for awhile and watched the two of them sing together before he put his hand on the doorknob and turned it, opening the door and walking inside once the song was over. "Hey, guys. What's up?"

"Nothing much," Chloe said, smiling when Chicago walked in. The redhead leaned up to kiss him once he had walked over to her. "Beca's helping me find some audition songs for my Juilliard audition, but right now we're just taking a little break before Beca heads to basketball practice. What's up with you?" She asked, smiling at her boyfriend.

"Nothing much," Chicago answered, repeating the words that Chloe had said a few moments ago. "I was just wandering around the halls since it's my free period, and I heard music coming from here so I decided to check it out."

"How are your classes?" Beca asked, playing a little melody on the piano that she'd been working on. "I've got a pretty easy semester ahead of me," she told him. "What about you?"

"Yeah, same with me. I'm glad that I have an easy last semester. The senioritis is already starting to kick in," Chicago replied with a chuckle.

"I know the feeling," Beca said with a chuckle before she stopped playing for a moment. "Before I go, I want to play a new song I wrote. Is that cool?" She asked.

"Yeah, of course. Take it away, Becs," Chloe said, smiling at the brunette. Chicago nodded his head in agreement, then gestured for Beca to play the song.

"Believer"- Imagine Dragons

"First things first,

I'm gonna say all the words inside my head  
I'm fired up and tired of the way that things have been, oh,  
The way that things have been, oh.  
Second things second,  
Don't you tell me what you think that I can be.  
I'm the one at the sail, I'm the master of my sea, oh,  
The master of my sea, oh.

I was broken from a young age,  
Taking my sulking to the masses,  
Write down my poems for the few  
That looked at me, took to me, shook to me, feeling me.  
Singing from heartache from the pain,  
Taking my message from the veins,  
Speaking my lesson from the brain,  
Seeing the beauty through the...

You made me a, you made me a believer, believer.

You break me down, you build me up,

Believer, believer.

Oh let the bullets fly, oh let them rain.

My life, my love, my drive it came from pain.

You made me a, you made me a believer, believer."

Beca smiled as she played the piano and sang. She looked up from the keys at Chloe and Chicago for a brief moment before looking back down as she started singing again.

"Third things third,  
Send a prayer to the ones up above.  
All the hate that you've heard has turned your spirit to a dove, oh,  
Your spirit up above, oh.

I was choking in the crowd,  
Building my rain up in the cloud,  
Falling like ashes to the ground,  
Hoping my feelings, they would drown.  
But they never did, ever lived, ebbing and flowing,  
Inhibited, limited,  
Until it broke up and it rained down,  
It rained down like...

You made me a, you made me a believer, believer.  
You break me down, you build me up,

Believer, believer.  
I let the bullets fly, oh let them rain  
My life, my love, my drive, it came from pain.  
You made me a, you made me a believer, believer."

Chicago couldn't help but smile and bop his head to the song, loving the lyrics and the beat. Chloe did the same, smiling as Beca performed.

"Last things last,

By the grace of the fire and the flames.

You're the face of the future, the blood in my veins, oh,

The blood in my veins, oh.

But they never did, ever lived, ebbing and flowing,  
Inhibited, limited,  
Until it broke up and it rained down,

It rained down like...

You made me a, you made me a believer, believer.  
You break me down, you build me up,

Believer, believer.  
I let the bullets fly, oh let them rain  
My life, my love, my drive, it came from pain.  
You made me a, you made me a believer, believer."

Beca played a few more chords on the piano, echoing the word "believer" a few more times before she finished the song. The brunette smiled and then looked over at Chloe and Chicago. "How was it?"

"Dude, that song is bad ass!" Chicago said, smiling and giving his friend a high five. "I can't wait to hear it when Trio performs it together."

"Thanks, Chic," Beca said, smiling at his compliment. "I'm glad that you liked it. I haven't shown it to Jesse and Benji yet, but I think it'll be really good once we all perform it."

"It definitely will. It already sounds badass," Chloe commented with a smile on her face.

"That makes happy to know you guys both love it," Beca stated, leaning back against the wall. "My mom has been trying to convince my dad to come to a show," She said. "But so far she hasn't had any luck."

"Just because she hasn't had any luck as of now doesn't mean that there isn't any hope," Chicago pointed out. "If anyone can convince your dad to do something, it's your mom, and I know that she won't back down until he agrees to come to a show."

Beca smiled at her best friend and then nodded. "I hope you're right. I want to have both of my parents on my side so I can move to LA," she stated.

"Even if you didn't have both of your parents on your side, you could still probably go to LA. You'll be an adult once you graduate, so they can't really tell you what to do anymore," Chicago said, chuckling a little. "That being said, I do know how important it is to you that your parents support you, and I know that they will if they don't already do."

"You guys really think I can make it on my own in LA?" Beca asked, looking at her friends.

"We know you can, Beca," Chloe said, placing a friendly hand on Beca's shoulder. "If I can make it into Juilliard, then you can live out your dream of performing your music in LA."

Chicago nodded his head in agreement with Chloe. "She's right. You're one of the most talented people I know. If anyone can make it big, it's you," Chicago told his friend confidently.

"Thanks, you guys. It makes me happy to hear you guys say that," Beca said, smiling and blushing a little. She then looked at the clock on her phone. "I better go and head to the gym. I need to get ready for basketball practice," Beca said before packing up her bags. "I'll see you guys later."

"See you later. Thanks for helping me, Becs. I really appreciate it," Chloe said genuinely, smiling at her friend.

"No problem. I'll text you tomorrow so we can work on some other possible audition pieces," Beca said before waving and leaving the other two alone in the practice room.

Chloe still had a smile on her face as she watched Beca leave the room, keeping the smile on her face when she turned to Chicago. "Hey," she said cutely, taking one of her boyfriend's hands in one of her own.

The young boy smiled at his girlfriend. "Hi, how are you?" He asked, squeezing her hand and leaning over to give Chloe a kiss on the cheek. "I've missed you today."

"I've missed you too. I wish we had more classes together," Chloe said, feeling her face heat up where Chicago's lips had been.

"Well, I'm focusing on school and the colleges that want me to play with them. A good thing is that I won't be as busy after school because I'm not playing basketball this year," Chicago said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "I think it's really great that Beca is helping you find some songs for your Juilliard audition."

"Yeah, me too," Chloe said, smiling and leaning into Chicago's embrace. "She's been so helpful to me. I'm glad to have her as my friend."

"When is the audition?" Chicago asked while he traced Chloe's arm with his hand. His other hand rested on her knee, and he placed another kiss on Chloe's head.

"It's in a few weeks," Chloe replied, closing her eyes and smiling. "I used to be really nervous, and I still kinda am, but Beca's helped me become more confident."

"You're going to be incredible, and you're going to get in," Chicago stated confidently. "Like Beca said, they'd be stupid not to admit you," He said, turning her to face him before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "I have so much faith in you, Chloe. You're a once-in-a-lifetime talent, and a once-in-a-lifetime person. People like you don't come around very often, and Juilliard will see that."

"Thanks, babe," Chloe said, smiling as their lips parted. "Thank you for believing in me. It means a lot," the redhead added a few moments later.

"I love you so very much Chloe. Never forget that," Chicago said, smiling and bringing the redhead's hand up to kiss it.

In the gymnasium, Beca was running the warm up for the team until their coach was done setting up their drills. "Alright you guys, high knees the other side of the court and then butt kickers on the way back," Beca called out, leading the other fourteen girls in the stretch.

After they were done with the initial stretches, they got in multiple lines and start doing a drill where they would pass the ball, get it back and then run in for a layup. Beca made every single one she ran up for, and so did most of the girls on the team. Hartford High School had a very strong line-up for their girls basketball team, and they were looking to make a comeback after they lost the state final a year before against Redding High School. It was safe to say these girls were hungry and ready to take back their rightful spot as state champions.

The team worked on some drills for a little while longer before dividing into smaller teams and starting a scrimmage. Beca's team started off with the ball, and the brunette dribbled the ball up the court after the inbound pass. She passed it to one of her other teammates once she got past the half court line, running over and setting a pick on a defender so that another one of her teammates could get open.

She then got back open after setting the pick, standing right behind the three point line. "Hey I'm open!" Beca called called out, getting the ball from Emily, who was also on the basketball team. Beca caught the ball and then took aim, shooting the ball while she was in mid-air. She then watched the ball swish into the net, smiling and then jogging back down the court.

"Nice shot, Mitchell!" Coach Wendell Jefferys called from the sideline where he was jotting down notes of what he saw onto a notepad. The brunette just looked at him and shrugged her shoulders, her smile turning into a smirk. She then turned her attention back to the scrimmage, getting into her defensive stance as the other team advanced the ball down the court.

After the practice, Coach Jefferys called the girls in for a talk. "Alright ladies, our first game is on Thursday. It is against the Redding Ravens. Last year they beat us for the state championship in double overtime. This is our first game of the preseason and we need to come out strong," He stated, holding a ball in his head. "This opening game is chance to show that the Hartford Hawks are a force to be reckoned with."

The girls cheered and clapped after Coach Jefferys' speech. "We've got this, guys," Beca said, stepping into the middle of the circle. "We fell short last year, but I'm confident that we will get back to the state championship and that we will come out on top. We have to believe in ourselves, and we'll be able to do it. We have the talent and skill to win the championship, we just have to believe in ourselves."

The rest of the girls cheered and then they were brought in for a team cheer. "Hawks on three! One, two, three!"

That was when the whole team yelled out "HAWKS!" Before they clapped and headed for the locker room showers.

After her shower, Beca drove home and smiled when Henry and Hailee ran out to her. She gave them both big hugs. "Hey guys!" She said, smiling and picking them both up, spinning them around. "Let's get inside, it's pretty cold out."

Once they went inside, Beca turned on the TV for the twins and then went to the kitchen to make some popcorn for them. As she was putting the bag of popcorn in the microwave, her mother walked in the room. "Hey, Mom. How was work today?" The brunette asked.

"It was pretty good, you know, the usual," Cala stated as she walked beside her daughter. "Are you excited for your first basketball game tomorrow? It's a big one."

Beca nodded, turning to face her mom after closing the microwave. "Yeah, I'm excited. I've been waiting a long time for the chance to get revenge for last year."

"Well, your father and I will be very excited to come and watch," Cala said with a smile on her face as she saw her daughter's eyes light up.

"You guys are coming?" Beca asked, a spark of hope in her heart. "You're coming to watch me play?"

Cala smiled and nodded her head. "We're coming to see you play, Beca. It's about time that we came to one of your basketball games, isn't it?"

"Well, at least Dad agreed to this," Beca chuckled before giving her mom a hug. "Thank you. It means a lot to hear that you're coming to watch me play."

Cala smiled and then brought her daughter into a warm embrace. "I'm going to do everything I can so I make it to all of your games this year, and so will your father. We should've done this long ago," the older woman said. "I'm so proud of you, Beca. I'm so, so proud."

This made Beca blush a little bit. "Thanks, Mom," she said before heading up to her room and changing into some pajamas. The brunette sat on her bed and looked up at the ceiling with a smile on her face. She then grabbed her phone and scrolled through her contacts, pressing the call button once she got to Chloe's name.

Chloe was sitting at her desk and doing some homework when she heard her phone buzz. The redhead got up and walked over to her phone, which was sitting on her bed, and picked it up to answer it. "Hey, Beca. What's up?"

"Chlo, you're not going to believe this," Beca said, smiling widely as she looked up at her ceiling. "My mom convinced my father to come to the first basketball game of the season!"

Chloe gasped a little, a wide smile forming on her pace. "Oh my god, really? That's awesome, Becs!" She exclaimed happily. "This is really amazing, Beca. I know how much this must mean to you."

"I honestly have no idea what's going on right now, this is all so surreal to me," Beca said, smiling to herself before walking over to the window, smiling and waving at Chloe before she spoke again. "Maybe this is the first step to getting my father to come to a concert."

"It has to be a good sign," Chloe said with a smile. "I knew that your mom would be able to convince your dad. I just knew it."

"Well, she hasn't convinced him to go to a concert yet. It's still a win though, that's for sure," Beca said, smiling widely, unable to hide her excitement. "Are the cheerleaders going to be there at the game?" She asked.

"You bet we are. It's the first game of the season, and one of the biggest rivalry games of the season too. How could we not be there?" Chloe replied with a cute giggle.

"I'll remember to play like LeBron James so I can show you and my parents how much of a badass I am," Beca added, making the girl on the other end of the call laugh.

"Well then, I'm looking forward to seeing you play like LeBron James. You might need to grow a little more if you want to dunk like him, though," Chloe teased.

"You'd be surprised at how high I can jump, Beale," Beca said, chuckling at Chloe's comment. "There's a reason that Chicago calls me mighty mouse whenever we play pickup," She mentioned, sitting down at her desk.

"Really?" Chloe said, raising an eyebrow and chuckling a little. "Well, if you can jump so high, then why don't you try to dunk in your next game? You already want to look like a badass, and now I want to see if you can really jump as high as you say you can."

"Well, I probably can't jump high enough to dunk it," Beca admitted before continuing. "But I'm going to play lights out, that is for sure."

"I'm looking forward to it, then. I've seen you practice a couple times, and you're really good," Chloe told her genuinely.

"Thanks. Just wait till you see me in a game," Beca said. "Something about competition amps me up," she added, taking out her notebook. "I should probably go now. I have to write a four page paper about a musician from the eighteenth century for music appreciation. I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

"Okay, see you tomorrow. Good luck with that paper," Chloe replied with a smile. "I'm looking forward to watching your game. I know you're going to do great," the redhead added a few moments later.

"That's all the encouragement I need," Beca replied with a smile. "Night Chlo," She said before hanging up the phone. Beca was the only person who used the nickname 'Chlo,' and each time she used that nickname, the redhead couldn't help but blush.

"Goodnight, Becs. I'll see you tomorrow," Chloe said, smiling and biting her lip. The redhead then ended the call, putting her phone down and going back to working on her homework.

 **Seems like things are good between Chloe and Beca now that they are helping each other prepare for their futures. And hopefully this basketball game will convince Beca's father, Jacob to go to one of Trio's next concerts!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	16. Chapter 16: Payback Time

Chapter 16: Payback Time

"Hey, sorry I'm late. Coach wanted me to stop by his office to talk about tomorrow's game for a few minutes," Beca said as she walked inside the music room. The brunette set her stuff down and then joined Chloe, who was sitting at the piano. "So, where did we leave off?"

"We were trying to decide between me playing a classic piece by Beethoven or Mozart," Chloe mentioned, looking at the sheet music in front of her. "After that, I have to choose a modern piece, which is the one I'm more worried about. I can play these classic pieces in my sleep, but I've never really gotten into modern music."

"I have no doubt in my mind that you'll catch on right away to the modern piece. Sure, you're more experienced with classical music, but you're a great pianist, and I know you can adjust to something outside of your comfort zone," Beca replied in a genuine voice.

"I'm glad to know that you have faith in me," Chloe smiled, taking a deep breath as Beca sat beside her on her piano bench. "I know I've told you this a million times already, but thank you for helping me with this. It means a lot because I know you'd probably rather be writing music or practicing for basketball. So, thank you."

Beca shook her head. "You don't need to thank me. It's no big deal. And for the record, I wouldn't rather be writing music or practicing for basketball," she said with a small smile.

This made the redhead blush a little, and she looked down at the piano keys for a moment. "Well, thank you anyway."

Beca smiled. "Alright, then let's get started. Why don't you play a Beethoven piece and a Mozart piece, and then we decide which one you should go with?"

Chloe nodded and then pulled out the sheet music for the Mozart piece and played it first, doing it flawlessly of course. Then she played the Beethoven piece she had picked, also playing that one with perfection and unmatched passion.

After Chloe finished playing, Beca sat there and thought for a few minutes. "I think that both pieces sound great, and that either one would be great for your audition. The decision is yours," the brunette said.

"I'm still worried about the modern piece though, Beca. I don't know what to do," Chloe said, covering her face with her hands. "This audition is in less than three weeks. What if I screw up my modern song and they reject me?"

"Hey, you still have a lot of time to prepare for the audition. I know you're going to do great, Chlo. Three weeks might not seem like a long time, but I'll be here to help you, and we'll make sure you're prepared for your audition," Beca replied.

The redhead nodded and then leaned back against the wall behind her, taking a couple of deep breaths. "I'm so scared, Beca. Juillard has been my dream since before I could play a decent tune on the piano. I don't know what I'll do if I don't get in," She stated, biting her lip and looking down at her hands that rested on her lap. "What if I prepare as much as I can and I'm not good enough?"

Beca hesitated, not sure how to answer Chloe's question. "All you can do is give everything you have," she said finally, looking into Chloe's eyes. "And I'm not sure that's what you want to hear, but it's true. At the end of the day, if you try the hardest you can and do the best you can, then you have something to be proud of."

"I've never been so nervous for anything in my life," Chloe said, leaning her head on Beca's shoulder and linking their hands together. This happened from time to time, whenever Chloe was stressed about one of her pieces or her audition; she would lay her head on Beca's shoulder and hold her hand. For some reason, it always managed to lift the weight off of her shoulders.

Beca smiled softly and leaned her head against Chloe's, looking down at their hands as well. "You have every right to be nervous, Chlo. This is a big deal. You just have to believe in yourself, because you can do it. I know you can," she said.

"I don't understand why you have so much faith in me," Chloe said with a chuckle. She too looked down at their hands, noticing how perfect they molded together. It was almost magic, how easily they fit like two pieces in a puzzle. "But thank you, for having that faith in me, it makes me stronger."

"How could I not have faith in you, Chlo?" Beca asked the redhead. "You're one of the most talented people I've ever met. I'd be crazy to not have faith in you."

"Thank you," Chloe murmured, staying where she was and just listening to Beca speak. "Can we just, stay here for a minute?" She asked, biting her lip as she awaited an answer. "This just helps me calm down."

Beca nodded her head. "Yeah, of course," she said, noticing how Chloe bit her lip. "You know that if you need someone to talk to, you can come to me, right?"

The redhead nodded after Beca finished talking, and she held on tightly to the girl's hand, not wanting to let go. "Yes, I do know that. I trust you more than any of the people I've met here, besides Chic of course. But I'd rather be around you than anyone else in our friend group," She mentioned, taking a deep breath before continuing. "If I need someone to just talk to, you're always there to listen, and you never judge me."

Beca just shrugged her shoulders. "It's the right thing to do. I don't judge you, and you don't judge me. Friends don't judge each other. Simple as that," she replied.

Chloe wrapped her free arm around Beca and held her friend close. Something about Beca just made her feel safe, it and made her feel warm and at home. "You're my anchor, Beca. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you in my life."

Beca smiled at Chloe's words and put her arm around Chloe's back. "The same goes from me to you, Red. You're a great person, and an even better friend. I'm so lucky to have you in my life."

After sitting there for awhile longer, Chloe spoke up again. "Can I get a ride home from you? Aubrey offered to give me a ride, but she's gonna be at her study group for a few more hours, and I kinda just want to go home and hang out with you."

"Yeah, sure. I have to go to a team meeting for about half an hour, but I can drive you home after that," Beca said, standing up and grabbing her backpack and basketball bag.

"Thanks, just text me when you're done and I'll meet you outside," Chloe said, smiling up the brunette, gazing into her dark blue eyes. She'd never really noticed this, but Beca's eyes were the color of the night sky, and they were absolutely beautiful. Chloe was brought back to reality when Beca spoke again.

"Alright, sounds good. I'll see you in a bit," Beca said, smiling and waving as she walked out of the music room and headed for the gym. The team meeting didn't take as long as Beca thought it would, so she and Chloe were hanging out at the redhead's house about twenty minutes later.

"So, what did you want to do? We can keep talking about your Juilliard audition or watch a movie or something. I don't really care what we do," Beca said, sitting down on the couch in the living room.

"But don't you hate movies?" Chloe asked, sitting next to Beca as she turned on the television then grabbed a blanket for her and Beca to share.

"I don't hate all movies. I just don't like a lot of them. It depends on what we watch," Beca said, pulling the blanket over the two of them.

"Okay, let me see if I can find one that you like," Chloe said before getting up and looking at the movie that they had. "You told me a while back that you read the Harry Potter books, do you like the movies? Because we have all of them."

"I actually haven't seen any of the movies, but I do like the books. Are the movies like the books?" Beca asked. "I hate movies that are based off of books but aren't like the book at all."

"Well, the movies don't totally follow the books, but they do for the most part. There is just so much in the books that a movie with everything in it would be six to ten hours long," Chloe said with a chuckle. "I'll put the first one in, it follows the book really well," She said before putting the disc in the DVD player. She then sat down next to Beca and got under the blanket, pushing play once the menu showed up.

A couple previews played before the movie actually started. Beca smiled and scooted a little closer to Chloe as the opening scene began so they could share more of the blanket. "Thanks for inviting me over, Chloe," the brunette whispered softly to the redhead.

"Thanks for coming over, it's nice to just spend an afternoon with a friend," Chloe mentioned, smiling as Beca moved closer. "You should know that I do love cuddling during movies though, no matter who I'm watching them with. I just thought I should warn you so you don't get freaked out by it when it happens."

Beca playfully furrowed her eyebrows at these words. "Well, I'm not the world's biggest cuddlebug, so don't be surprised if I move to the opposite side of the couch," she joked with a chuckle. "Just kidding, Beale. I don't really mind cuddling."

Chloe let out a laugh as well before she responded. "Even if you did mind cuddling, I don't think you could escape me," She said in a joking manner. She then bit her lip and smiled as the movie started. "I hope you enjoy the show," She mentioned.

"If it's as good as you say it is, then I think I will," Beca replied, smiling back at Chloe before turning her attention to the TV.

Around the time in the movie where Harry receives his letter from Hogwarts, Chloe got up and made some microwave popcorn for the two of them. She then got them both a glass of ice water before heading back into the movie room.

The redhead set the popcorn on the table and then got back under the blanket, this time initiating a cuddle session by sitting really close to Beca and leaning head on the girls chest. Chloe wrapped her arms around the brunette and made herself comfortable. She had to admit, Beca's body was in good shape, toned and healthy from basketball. The redhead then grabbed the popcorn bag and put a single kernel in her mouth before feeding one to Beca.

Beca chuckled and shook her head when Chloe fed her a popcorn kernel. "You are so weird, Beale," the brunette said, chuckling when Chloe fed her another popcorn kernel. "But I love you for that," she added.

The redhead smiled and then fed herself another kernel before focusing on the movie. Even though she'd read and seen it a million times, she still loved these stories. A sly smile crept onto her face when she felt Beca's hand trace soft shapes into her arm.

Beca was doing this absentmindedly, so when she looked down and saw what she was doing, she immediately pulled her hand away. "Sorry about that," the brunette said, looking down and blushing.

"You don't need to be sorry," Chloe said, smiling at Beca. "I liked it, actually," She added with as she put another two kernels of popcorn into her mouth.

"Oh, really?" Beca asked, surprised by Chloe's answer. "I thought you'd think it was weird or something."

Chloe shook her head softly. "No, I don't think it's weird at all," She mentioned, linking her hand with Beca's.

Beca smiled and squeezed Chloe's hand gently. "Well, that's good. I'm glad I didn't make you feel weird or anything," the brunette said with a chuckle.

The redhead squeezed back before returning her attention to the movie. "I trust you, Beca. There's little you could do that would make me uncomfortable."

"I trust you too, Chlo," Beca said, smiling and then turning her attention back to the movie as well.

As the movie went on, Chloe could tell Beca was into it. She smiled and snuggled even closer to Beca, enjoying having her close. Beca was so kind and gentle around her, so safe and sweet.

About halfway through the movie, Beca got up from the couch to go to the bathroom. She chuckled a little when Chloe held onto her arm. "I hate to interrupt the cuddle session, but I really have to pee," the brunette said with a laugh.

"Go ahead, I'll pause it," Chloe said, smiling before grabbing the remote and pausing the movie. She smiled when Beca scurried off and then she took another sip of her water.

Beca came back a few minutes later and sat back down on the couch, pulling the blanket back over herself. "Alright, let's continue watching this movie, shall we?"

"As long as the cuddle session get to continue as well," Chloe said, pushing play and resuming the cuddling position they were in once Beca got situated on the couch.

The movie ended about an hour later. As the credits rolled on the TV screen, Beca looked over at Chloe, who was resting her head on her shoulder with her eyes closed. "Hey, Chlo, the movie's over," she murmured softly, gently nudging the redhead.

"Hmm?" Chloe answered in a groggy yet adorable tone, opening her eyes and seeing the credits rolling."Oh, yeah it is," She then got up and stretched a little bit before hitting the stop button on the remote. "Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep on top of you," She said, giggling a little bit and fixing her hair. "You're really nice to cuddle with."

"Thanks," Beca said, smiling and blushing a little. A few moments later, she stood up from the couch. "Well, I should probably head back home now. Thanks for having me over."

"Alright, I probably should get some homework done anyways," Chloe said, fixing her hair quickly by putting it up in a messy bun. "I can't wait for the game tomorrow."

"Neither can I. I've been looking forward to this game for a long time," Beca said, grabbing her bags and walking towards the front door.

"I'll have Stacie make sure to have the cheer squad cheer louder when you score than anyone else," Chloe said, smiling as she walked with Beca. Once they got there, Chloe hugged Beca, but they stayed in the hug for awhile. Chloe had a sudden urge to want Beca to stay, but she knew that tonight wasn't the night. Still, she held onto Beca for as long as she could, not really caring if Beca thought it was weird.

A few moments passed, and Chloe's arms were still around Beca. "Uh, Chlo, I have to get going," Beca said with a chuckle, managing to pry herself out of Chloe's arms. "I do appreciate the hug, though," she added after the embrace ended.

"Yeah, yeah of course," Chloe said, smiling as a blush creeping up on her face. "I'll see you tomorrow," Chloe added, tucking her hair back as she tried to hide her red and rosy cheeks.

"See you tomorrow. I'll make sure to play my best to impress you," Beca said, smiling and making Chloe blush even more. "Goodnight Chlo," she said, opening the door.

"Goodnight Beca," Chloe said, smiling. She held the door for Beca and then watched to make sure she got inside her own house before closing the door and locking it. She then turned around and leaned against the door, smiling to herself. Why? She didn't know. One thing she knew for sure was that she enjoyed spending time with Beca, and that she enjoyed that time a lot.

The next day, Beca woke up early and went on a run. Going on a run was one of Beca's game-day routines. She would also practice her dribbling and shooting for awhile, as it got her in the right frame of mind for the game.

Nothing was going to stop Beca from kicking ass today. Not only were her parents and siblings coming to the game, but she had to impress Chloe as well. Something about hanging out with Chloe the day before made the brunette extra determined to play well.

Beca ran her three mile run a minute and a half faster than usual, and her shots and dribbling were on point once she got to the school. She went to the locker room and took a shower, and school was about to start by the time she was done.

The school day went by quickly, and Beca immediately went home to start getting ready for the game. The game was at seven that night, but the players arrived a couple hours early so they could get warmed up and go over the game plan with Coach Jefferys.

"Alright ladies Everett is going to come out fast and furious, just like state last year," He started off. "They still have Emma Lancing, who set the record for most three pointers made in a season. Beca, you're our best bet for defending her since you two are around the same height. Make sure that she doesn't shoot the ball, and if she does, make sure that her shots are bad."

Beca nodded. "Got it, Coach. What does the rest of their lineup look like? If I remember correctly, last year they had three juniors in their starting lineup, meaning that they'll be on the team again this year."

"That's correct. All of their players can score, but their seniors are especially prolific at scoring. We won't beat them at their game, which is why defense is the key to victory. If we can make them take bad shots and cause turnovers, they'll be thrown off their game and we'll be able to execute our offense. If we do all those things, then this game is ours," Coach Jefferys said, looking around at the players. He then turned to Beca. "Lead us in a cheer, captain."

Beca smiled and then put her hand in, prompting everyone else to do the same. "Hawks on three! One! Two! Three! HAWKS!"

After that, the players got ready for the game. Once they had their uniforms on, they put on their warm-up shirts and grabbed a few basketballs, going out onto the court to start their warm-ups. "Alright, guys, let's do layup lines," Beca called out. "My line will be the layup line, and then the other line will be the rebounding line. Let's do this!"

The big home crowd cheered for their team as they began doing layups. It was safe to say that Hartford High had a skilled and talented team, and they weren't going to go down easily.

Chloe stood beside Stacie in her cheerleading uniform, cheering as smiling as she watched the team warm up. When Chicago walked into the gym, the redhead blew a kiss to him and waved as he took a seat next to Jesse, Benji, and Aubrey in the student section.

Emily was on the team two, and she was in the starting line-up with Beca. The two of them had become a force to be reckoned with the previous year, and they planned on being even more unstoppable than the year before.

"You ready for this, Em?" Beca asked the sophomore, grabbing one of the basketballs and dribbling it around.

"Hell yeah, let's show these guys who's going to win state this year!" Emily said enthusiastically as they dribbled and passed the balls around.

Soon, the buzzer sounded and the players from both teams went to their respective benches. Cynthia Rose sang the national anthem for the game and got a standing ovation from the crowd. After that, it was time for the starting lineup introductions.

After the starting lineup for Everett was announced, the room went dark and a spotlight went to the Hartford bench, where the five starters received thunderous applause.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Let's hear it for the starting five of your Hartford Hawks!" The announcer called, making the crowd go wild. "At forward, a five-foot eight sophomore, number seventeen: Emily Junk!" Emily stood up from the bench and jogged towards the center of the court, smiling and high-fiving her teammates as she did so. "At the other forward, a five-foot seven junior, number thirty-three: Delaney Woods!"

The crowd continued to cheer consistently for their team, which made Beca smile. The announcer read off the names of the Hawks' center and shooting guard before it was Beca's turn. "And finally, at point guard we have a small but mighty five-foot two senior, number twenty-two: Beca Mitchell!"

When her name was called, Beca stood up from the bench and jogged out to meet the rest of the starting five, high-fiving her teammates as she passed them. The Hawks then got in a huddle, with Beca standing in the middle and giving a pep talk. "We got this, guys. We can do this. All we have to do is follow the game-plan. Let's get out there, give it everything we got, and get this win! Hawks on three! One! Two! Three! HAWKS!"

The crowd got even louder as the girls took their positions on the court for the jump ball. Beca looked over to the stands and smiled when she noticed her family sitting right behind Chicago's family. She waved to her parents and then got focused as Emily went to the center for the jump ball that would start the game.

Chloe smiled as she watched Beca mark up on one of the other teams players. The Hawks' home uniforms were white with blue names and numbers that were outlined in red.

"Alright, you all know the drill by now. We don't want to see any unnecessary fouls or anything like that. Let's have a good game, ladies," One of the referees said. Another referee passed him the ball, and he walked to the center of the court, holding the ball between Emily and the opposing team's player that was doing the jump ball. The referee bounced the ball once, blew his whistle, and then tossed the ball up in the air.

Emily jumped up tapped the ball backwards, causing it to land in Beca's hands. The crowd cheered and then Beca began to dribble, calling out one of the plays that they had worked on in practice. Delaney ran up from the low post and set a pick on Beca's defender, allowing the brunette to dribble down the middle. She weaved through the defense and stepped to the left, making an easy layup. After making the basket, Beca turned around and jogged back down the court, getting in her defensive stance once she crossed the half-court line.

While the Hawks did get back on defense quickly, the Ravens came down on offense quicker. Before Beca could even blink, the Ravens had made a three-pointer and were now winning the game by a point.

It was a really close game throughout the first half. Beca and Emily were on fire; both had over fifteen points each—Emily had sixteen, and Beca had twenty. However, the Ravens were putting up a good fight, and they were ahead by five points with less than a minute left in the first half.

The Ravens made another basket, extending their lead to seven points. Emily inbounded the ball to Beca, who ran down the court and quickly shot a three-pointer to test her luck. The shot went in, and now the Ravens were only up by four. Beca stayed back on defense when the Ravens were inbounding the ball and got a steal, going up for a layup and cutting the lead to two with about thirty seconds left in the half.

Chloe turned to the crowd and gestured for them to cheer louder for the Hawks. At the end of the first half, the score was 41-39. The Hawks still had some work to do, but it was a good first half.

The second half was much like the first, and it was still a close game in the fourth quarter. The Hawks had taken the lead and were now winning by two points, the score being 76-74. The Ravens had the ball, and Beca was locked-in on defense as Emma Lancing, the Ravens' star point guard, brought the ball up the court. The Hawks defense wasn't fast enough and Lansing made her three pointer shot with ease. 77-76.

Emily threw the ball in to Beca, who looked at the clock. There were twenty-eight seconds remained. It was now never. Emily read Beca's defender and then ran over, setting a pick for her and allowing her to get past just like she had done before. Beca threw a pass, but it was intercepted by Emma Lancing, who started dribbling down the court towards the basket.

Fourteen seconds left.

Beca busted her ass to get back, diving in front of Lancing and knocking the ball out of her hands. The crowd erupted as Emily grabbed the ball and dribbled down the court.

Five seconds left.

Emily drove past two defenders as she dribbled to the basket. She went up with her right hand for a layup, making the shot with ease as the buzzer sounded. The crowd went nuts with cheers and applause: the Hawks had done it. In the last seconds of the fourth quarter, the Hawks had pulled off a huge upset against the former state champions.

The student section rushed onto the court, followed by the rest of the crowd. Beca ran over to Emily and embraced her tightly. "You did it! You did it, Em! You did it!" She exclaimed happily.

"No, we did it, captain! We did it!" Emily said, hugging her friend.

After their embrace, Beca saw Chloe running at her. The brunette smiled and opened her arms to give the redhead a hug. "I told you I'd play lights out," She mumbled in Chloe's ear with a chuckle as they embraced.

"You said that you would play like LeBron James, and you did," Chloe said with a giggle. "Although, LeBron probably would've been the one to make the game-winning shot. Still, you were great, Becs. I'm so proud of you."

"Hey, I got the steal!" Beca pointed out with a chuckle. "Yeah, LeBron has made a lot of game-winning shots, but I think he would've went for the steal like I did if it meant winning the game," When the two girls pulled away from the hug, Beca turned to see Hailee and Henry running towards her with her parents following behind. "Woah, guys. You seem to be excited. Thanks for coming."

"It was our pleasure, Beca," Jacob said to his daughter with a wide smile on his face. "You played well tonight, kid. You certainly made us proud."

"Thank you, Dad," Beca said, smiling and giving her father a hug. "You have no idea how happy I am that you guys are here."

"I'm so glad that we came," Cala said, giving Beca a hug after she hugged her father. "You were awesome, sweetie. I knew that you'd be good because of the amount of time you spent practicing, but I didn't know that you were as good as you are."

"Let's go out and celebrate at your favorite pizza place," Jacob said with a smile. "It'll be my treat," He then turned to Chloe, who was talking to Chicago nearby. "Would you two like to come with us to dinner at Cal's Zone? My treat!"

"Sure, Mr. Mitchell," Chloe said, smiling. "That would be great!" She then turned to Beca. "Can I get a ride with you, Becs?"

Beca nodded. "Yeah, of course. We might get there a bit later since I have to go to the locker room and change, if that's okay with you."

"That's alright. I need to change too, so I'll be occupied," Chloe said, smiling before she turned to Chicago and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you there, okay, babe?"

"I'll see you there," Chicago said, leaning in and giving Chloe a quick kiss on the lips. "Great game, Beca. You killed it out there tonight," he said, turning to his best friend and giving her a high five.

"Thanks, Chic. I'm always happy to have you here," Beca said, hugging her best friend before she and Chloe made their way to the girls locker room to change.

Beca took a quick shower to wash off her body before changing into some nice jeans, a tank top, and a black leather jacket. She then put on her white vans and dried her hair while she waited for Chloe.

About ten minutes later, Chloe had finished getting ready. She too taken a quick shower and changed into some jeans and a tank top. Chloe was also wearing Chicago's letterman jacket. The boy had given the jacket to her months ago, but the redhead hadn't gotten around to giving it back. "Alright, I'm ready to go. Cal's Zone here we come!"

"Nice jacket," Beca said with a chuckle as she slung bag over her shoulder and started to walk with Chloe out of the locker room.

"What? Are you making fun of me?" Chloe asked, giggling cutely. "If you are making fun of me, I'll tell Chicago," she jokingly threatened.

"No, I'm being genuine," Beca said, smiling and wrapping her arm around Chloe's shoulder in a friendly way. "Aren't I allowed to compliment you?" She asked as they walked towards the doors that lead to the parking lot.

"You are allowed to compliment me. The way you said it and then laughed made me think you weren't complimenting me," Chloe explained, smiling and leaning her head on Beca's shoulder.

Beca leaned her head on Chloe's. "I think the jacket looks amazing on you. I just didn't know that the cheerleaders got them," She said, earning a playful slap on the arm.

"You'd know that this isn't my letterman if you looked at the name on the back," Chloe said, giggling at the look on Beca's face after she slapped her arm.

Beca looked and saw "Walp" on the back and chuckled. "Yeah, I figured it was his," She said as they made it to her car. "You look better in it than he does."

Chloe chuckled at Beca's words. "I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment for myself or be offended for Chicago."

"Take it as a compliment. Chicago doesn't have to know I said that," Beca said with a smirk before unlocking her car door. "Here, I'll put this in the back," she said, taking Chloe's cheerleading bag from her and setting in the back of the car next to her own.

Chloe opened the passenger side door and climbed into the seat, closing the door and putting on her seatbelt. "Thanks again for giving me a ride, Becs. I appreciate it."

"Yeah, of course. It's no big deal. I just figured that it would be convenient for both of us," Beca replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"So, what is Cal's Zone like? It must be pretty good if it's your favorite pizza place," Chloe said.

"You haven't lived until you've been to Cal's Zone," Beca said, smiling as they left the parking lot and headed towards the restaurant. "It's authentic New York style pizza, and it's the best pizza west of the Mississippi if you ask me."

"Well, it must be really good then," Chloe said with a chuckle. "I hope that it lives up to all the hype that you've given it."

Once they made it to the restaurant, they saw that Chicago and the rest of Beca's family had already gotten a table. "Hey babe," Chicago said, kissing Chloe's cheek once she sat next to him.

"Hi," Chloe said, smiling and blushing when Chicago kissed her cheek. "Beca was telling me all about this place while we were driving here. She said that it's the best pizza west of the Mississippi. Do you agree?"

"I have to agree with Beca on that one. It's amazing," Chicago said, earning a high five from Beca. "You'll just have to wait and see once our pizzas get here," He stated, smiling and putting his arm around her shoulder.

"I can't wait until then. What kind of pizza did you order?" Chloe asked, smiling and leaning her head on Chicago's shoulder.

"We ordered a pepperoni pizza, which is Henry and Hailee's favorite, and then a chicken alfredo pizza, which Beca and I really like," Chicago answered, taking a sip of water. He then turned to Beca. "You had a great game, buddy. Well done. That turnover you caused which lead to Emily making the winning shot is a play that colleges will definitely look at," he told his friend.

"Do you think record labels will look at that play?" Beca joked, chuckling. "Because if so, then I think I've got a pretty good chance at getting a job in LA."

"Record labels would probably rather look at one of Trio's halftime shows or other performances," Chicago said with a smile. Then, an idea hit him. He leaned forward so that Chloe and Beca were the only ones that could hear him. "What if you did that at one of your games?" He suggested. "If your dad was there, he could see you play."

Beca thought about Chicago's idea for a few moments. "That's not a bad idea," the brunette said with a small smile. As she continued to think about it, her smile faltered. "I don't know how I'd make it work, though. Coach wouldn't want me to do it because I'd need to rest for the second half. On top of that, my dad might get mad and leave the game. I don't think it's worth the risk."

"Well, it's just a thought," Chicago said, shrugging his shoulders as the pizza arrived at the table. "You never know what could happen," He then took a sip of his water and put a slice of pizza on each of their plates.

Chloe smiled and took a bite out of her piece of pizza, instantly understanding what Chicago and Beca had said. "Oh my god, this is so good!" She said, taking another bite after she swallowed the first one.

"I told you it's amazing," Beca said, smirking before she took a bite out of her piece of chicken alfredo pizza. "Can you see why it's my favorite pizza?"

"Oh, definitely," Chloe replied with a smile. "I'll be coming back again, that's for sure."

After pizza, Chloe gave a goodnight kiss to Chicago and exchanged "I love you's" before climbing into the passenger's seat of Beca's car. "Thanks for giving me a ride," She said as she buckled her seatbelt. "Dinner was amazing. I can't believe I hadn't been there yet."

"I told you that it was gonna be good," Beca said, buckling her seatbelt and starting her car. "Which did you like more: the pepperoni pizza or the chicken alfredo pizza?" She asked curiously.

"Oh, the chicken alfredo pizza for sure. It was so damn good," Chloe said, making Beca chuckle.

As they drove towards their, the two girls got lost in their conversation. "What place in the world would you like to go most?" Beca asked.

"Hmm, I don't know," Chloe said, running her fingers through her hair as she thought of an answer to Beca's question. "There are so many places that I want to go to. I'd definitely like to go to Paris. That sounds cliche, but it's true. I've always wanted to go see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre and everything else that's there."

"I've always wanted to go to Paris too," Beca said, smiling as she drove. "But the number one place in the world I want to go to is probably Ireland," She stated. "I want to see all the beautiful green hills and get drunk off my ass."

Chloe chuckled at Beca's words. "Why am I not surprised that being able to get drunk is the main reason you want to go to Ireland?" The redhead asked, shaking her head and chuckling a little more.

"Well, it's not the main reason. Ireland is such a beautiful country, with so much history and so much to see," Beca said, smiling to herself. "It's a place that everyone should be able to see."

"Well, once you make it big in LA, you'll have enough money to go anywhere you want," Chloe said, smiling as well.

"Yeah, yeah I will," Beca responded, looking at Chloe as she stopped at a stop light. She then smiled and put her hand on the center console next to Chloe's, biting her lip a little bit. "You always amaze me with your positivity towards other people, Chlo. I mean, you have more faith in me than my own father."

Chloe smiled and then looked down at their hands, blushing a little as well. "I guess I'm just an optimist who wants everyone to feel good about themselves. I've been in positions where it's felt like nobody was on my side or believed in me, so I try to be positive and friendly so other people don't feel that way."

As the light turned green, Beca slipped her hand into Chloe's, linking their fingers together while her other hand stayed on the wheel. "Well, thank you for believing in me," Beca responded in a soft, genuine voice.

"Thank you for believing in me too. You've been the most supportive out of anyone when it comes to me applying for Juilliard. If it weren't for you, I think I would've chickened out of auditioning by now," Chloe said, smiling and giggling in a cute way.

"I mean, Chicago would probably be more helpful if he could actually play an instrument," Beca said, smiling at how adorable Chloe's laugh was.

"You do have a point there," Chloe said, giggling again. "Still, I really appreciate everything that you've been doing for me. It means a lot to me."

"I'll always do whatever I can to make sure that you're happy, whether that's helping you with Juilliard auditions, or cuddling with you during a movie. I'll always want the people I care about the most to be successful and content," Beca said as she pulled onto their street.

"Thanks, Becs. The same goes from me to you," Chloe said, smiling at the brunette. Once Beca had pulled into her driveway, the redhead unbuckled her seatbelt and then turned to face her. "I know I've said this a million times today, but thanks again for giving me a ride. I appreciate it."

"It's no big deal, Chlo. I enjoy your company," Beca said, turning to face Chloe with a smile on her face. "I am still so excited about our win tonight," She said, leaning her head against the head cushion.

"And you should be. You had a great game tonight, Becs. I'm so proud of you," Chloe said, biting her lip and smiling even more.

Beca closed her eyes for a moment and then took a deep breath. She then opened her eyes to look at Chloe's hand, which was still entwined with her own. There was a silence between them, and Beca gave off a small, half smile at the left corner of her mouth. "Thanks for being there tonight," she murmured.

"I wouldn't rather have been anywhere else," Chloe murmured back, looking at their hands and then looking down, still smiling.

Beca ran her thumb along the back of Chloe's hand, in awe of how smooth Chloe's skin was. "I have a question, just out of curiosity," She said. When Chloe nodded, she continued. "Did you think I was a good kisser? You know, that night at Stacie's party?"

"I, uh…" Chloe trailed off, surprised by Beca's question. Her face started to turn red, and she looked down so Beca didn't see that she was blushing. "I, uh...I guess?" This answer resulted in a confused look on Beca's face, so the redhead quickly spoke again. "Y-yes, I did think you were a good kisser," she stuttered.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I guess I just had never asked you, so I was thinking out loud," Beca scrunched up her face a little bit. She knew asking Chloe that was going to have a cringe-worthy reaction, so she wasn't really disappointed when Chloe seemed hesitant to answer.

"No, it's okay. You didn't make me uncomfortable. I was just surprised by the question, that's all," Chloe explained, although she still wasn't making eye contact with Beca.

"Can you look at me and tell me that?" Beca said, offering a little chuckle to try and lighten the mood. "It won't hurt my feelings if you tell me it made you uncomfortable."

"It didn't make me uncomfortable," Chloe said, looking up into Beca's eyes for a few moments before looking back down again.

"I just wanted to make sure," Beca lifted her hand from Chloe's and moved it to lift Chloe's chin up. She didn't say anything, she just wanted to looking into the redhead's eyes for a moment. The brunette couldn't help but notice how blue Chloe's eyes were, and how they made her heart race.

Chloe looked back into Beca's eyes, raising her eyebrows in confusion. "What are you doing?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"Nothing, I just-" Beca started before words seemed to catch in her throat. She removed her hand from Chloe's cheek and looked away. What Beca had really wanted in that moment was to lean in and kiss the girl sitting next to her, but she knew that wasn't an option, so she turned to look at the steering wheel.

Chloe turned away from Beca and then put her hand on the door handle. "I should probably go now," she said, turning and reaching to the backseat to grab her bag. "I'll see you on Monday."

Beca nodded her head and unlocked the the doors so Chloe get out. "Yeah, I'll see you Monday." She then saw that Chloe had forgotten to grab her house keys from the center console. "Chloe, wait," Beca called after the redhead as she got out of her car. "You might need these," She stated, walking over to Chloe and chuckling with the keys in her hand.

"Yeah, I might need those," Chloe said, smiling and taking her house keys from Beca. "Thank you for bringing these to me. I would've had to sit outside the whole night if you hadn't," she said with a chuckle.

"Well, that jacket may have kept you warm," Beca said, putting her hands in her pockets and shrugging awkwardly. "Goodnight, Chlo," she said softly, smiling as she got lost in Chloe's eyes again, this time more discreet than the previous one.

"Goodnight, Becs," Chloe said, smiling and waving at her friend before she turned around, unlocking the front door and going inside, closing the door behind her.

Beca made sure Chloe got inside before walking towards her porch, climbing up the stairs as her parents' car pulled into the driveway. Beca went inside the house and up to her room, groaning and falling onto her bed once she had closed the door behind her.

Why couldn't she just banish her feelings for Chloe to some far off land where they couldn't return from? Little did Beca know, next door Chloe was feeling those same things.

Chloe sat down on her bed and held her head in her hands, closing her eyes and sighing. She could tell that Beca didn't believe her, but she truly wasn't made uncomfortable by the brunette's question. In fact, the question made her anything but uncomfortable. When they were gazing into each other's eyes, Chloe couldn't help but feel the temptation to lean in and kiss Beca, a temptation that she didn't want to feel but couldn't help feeling.

Her heart wretched inside her; she felt terrible for having the temptations she had been having recently. Over the last month or so, Beca was constantly on Chloe's mind. At first, the redhead thought it was because she felt bad for breaking Beca's heart that night after Stacie's party. But as the days went by, she started wonder what it would be like to be with Beca.

Chloe had agreed to let Beca help her out with her Juilliard pieces because she wanted to spend more time with the brunette. And she had invited Beca over the day before so she could spend even more time with her. She also had to admit that her heart was racing as Beca held her in her arms. _You shouldn't be having these feelings for Beca_ , Chloe told herself. _You have a boyfriend. Chicago is a great guy, and he's been kind and loving to you since day one._ But no matter how many times the redhead repeated these things to herself, part of her still longed for Beca.

 **Well, well, well... looks like Chloe is in a dilemma. But will she ever act on these feelings? Keep reading to find out! The Hawks had a huge win, and Beca's family came to watch her play for the first time. Hopefully they can convince her father to come to one of her bands concerts!**

 **Until next time!**


	17. Chapter 17: The Juilliard Audition

Chapter 17: The Juilliard Audition

"So, I was doing some research last night on modern songs that you could play at your audition, and I think I've found the perfect one," Beca said as she walked into the music room. The brunette went and sat down on the piano bench next to the redhead, handing her some sheet music to look at. "I think you should play 'Titanium' by David Guetta and Sia."

Chloe took the sheet music from Beca and briefly flipped through the pages before setting it on the stand. "I do like this song," the redhead said. It was actually one of the few modern songs she liked. "But I'm not sure if it would be good for my audition," she continued. "Why do you think I should play it?"

"Just trust me on this one, Chlo," Beca said, trying to reassure her. The redhead still seemed skeptical, however. "'Titanium' is the best idea I've got for your modern song. If you want to find a different song, then that's your prerogative," the brunette said, shrugging her shoulders.

Chloe thought about Beca's suggestion for a few more moments and then began to nod her head. "Yeah, I'll go with 'Titanium.' It won't be too hard to learn on the piano, and I'll be able to hit all the notes."

Beca smiled and chuckled a little. "See? I told you it was a good idea. Chloe rolled her eyes and chuckled along with Beca, then looked at the sheet music and began to play the song.

Two weeks later, Chloe and Beca were waiting backstage in the auditorium. It was the day of Chloe's audition. A couple scouts from Juilliard had come to watch Chloe's audition, and the redhead had never been more nervous in her life. She had asked Beca to come with her because she needed someone to calm her nerves and Chicago was busy with weight training that afternoon.

"So, how are you feeling about your audition?" Beca asked.

"Really nervous," Chloe replied, smiling a little and then looking down. "I just want to do well, you know? I don't want the scouts to have come all the way out here from New York only to have their time wasted by a terrible audition."

"Hey," Beca said, placing her hands on Chloe's shoulders. "Look at me," she said, smiling when the redhead did so. "You're not going to waste their time. You're going to go out there and prove to them that you belong with best of the best," she stated with confidence. "You know both of these songs so well that you could play them in your sleep. All your friends and family believe in you. Your parents believe in you, Chicago believes in you, and I believe in you. You're going to knock this out of the park. I can feel it in my bones."

Chloe smiled and looked down. "Thanks, Becs," she said in a quiet voice. "This is exactly why I asked you to come with me to the audition. You're always able to calm my nerves when I'm in a stressful situation," the redhead added a few moments later, chuckling as she spoke.

"You'd do the same for me if it was the other way around," Beca said before giving Chloe a hug to wish her luck.

Then, someone from the audience cleared their throat. "Chloe Beale?" They called out.

Beca looked at Chloe and nodded. "Go kick some ass, Chlo," she said, smiling and hugging Chloe again. "If you get nervous while you're out there, just look over at me. I'll be standing right here the whole time."

Chloe smiled and took a deep breath. "Well, here goes nothing," she said, pulling the curtain aside and walking onto the stage. She turned and looked at Beca one last time, smiling when the brunette gave her two thumbs up.

Beca smiled at her and then watched as Chloe sat down at the piano. Her heart raced for her friend; the brunette was probably as nervous as the redhead. "You got this, Chlo," Beca whispered softly. "I believe in you."

Chloe closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm herself before starting to play the Mozart piece she had selected for the audition. Chloe knew this piece by heart, so she was able to play it without needing the sheet music. The redhead got lost in the music like she always did, her fingers skillfully playing the keys of the piano.

The Juilliard scouts watched on, both of them kept neutral faces, though both of them were very amazed by Chloe's passions and skill.

Beca gazed at Chloe as she played. The brunette was so amazed by the redhead. Her heart was racing at million miles per hour and she unable to see anything or anyone but Chloe. This wasn't because she was standing backstage, but because everything else seemed to disappear as Chloe continued to play the piece with ease.

Chloe played the final notes of the song, smiling and looking up from the keys and making eye contact with Beca, which made her smile even more.

Beca gave Chloe two thumbs up again and clapped for the redhead, making sure to be quiet so the scouts in the audience didn't hear. "Good job. You were great," she mouthed to her friend, smiling and quietly clapping a little more.

"Nicely done, Miss Beale," one of the scouts said as Chloe turned to face the audience. "What will you be playing for your modern piece?" He asked in a friendly voice.

"I will be playing 'Titanium' by David Guetta and Sia," Chloe replied, smiling at the two scouts before she turned back to the piano. The redhead took a deep breath to calm herself and placed her fingers on the keys for a few moments before she began to play.

Once again, Chloe played it flawlessly, making Beca smile as she watched on. It was so eye opening to watch Chloe perform, and Beca couldn't take her eyes off of the redhead. Every single time Chloe played a song, Beca felt herself falling for Chloe all over again.

Chloe's confidence increased as she played the song, and the redhead soon had a smile on her face. She had been more nervous for playing this piece than the Mozart one because she was less familiar with this one, but that didn't stop her from playing the song flawlessly and with ease.

Chloe performed, the two scouts wrote down some notes in their notebooks. They were very impressed by Chloe's skills, specifically her versatility, when it came to playing the piano. Part of the reason that Beca suggested she play "Titanium" was because she knew the leap of genres of Mozart to David Guetta would impress the scouts.

Beca smiled as she watched Chloe finish playing the song. When the redhead looked over at her, the brunette smiled even wider and gave her another two thumbs up. Then, the redhead turned look at the scouts, awaiting their feedback.

"Well, Miss Beale, we are very impressed by both your skill and your song choices. Not many of our applicants take the risk of performing two songs of two completely different genres, and we admire that about you," the scout who had spoken before said.

"Thank you," Chloe said, twiddling her thumbs. She still felt a little nervous, but she was able to keep her nerves in check while talking to the scouts.

"So, Miss Beale, why do you want to go to Juilliard?" The other scout asked, setting her pen down and smiling up at the girl on the stage.

"I think the question should be: why don't I want to go to Juilliard?" Chloe replied, chuckling a little. "Going to Juilliard has been a dream of mine since I could play the piano. I love music. Music has been always been a huge part of my life and I would like it to continue to be a huge part of my life. I'm always looking to improve my skills when it comes music, and I can't imagine a better place than Juilliard to do that."

The two scouts turned their heads and smiled at each other before looking back at Chloe. "That's great to know, Chloe. We will take your answer along with your performance into consideration when we decide which applicants will be accepted." The scouts then stood up, starting to pack up their things. "You will receive a letter within the next few weeks that will let you know if you have been accepted to Juilliard and invited to study with us in the fall. It was a pleasure to meet you, Chloe."

After the scouts left, Beca came out from backstage. The brunette walked out onto the stage, smiling widely at the redhead. "Chlo, you were incredible."

"Thanks, Becs," Chloe said, walking over to her friend and giving her a hug. "I really appreciate you being here," the redhead said, smiling and sighing with content as they embraced.

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world," Beca said as they pulled back from the hug. "And, to celebrate, I think we should go get some ice cream. Not just because you killed your audition, but also because the Lady Hawks basketball team is undefeated after ten games. It'll be mostly because you had an amazing audition," she said with a chuckle.

Chloe giggled at Beca's words. "Ice cream sounds like a great way to celebrate my audition and the Hawks' winning record," the redhead replied with a smile.

"Alright then, let's go," Beca said, taking Chloe's hand as they started to walk towards the backstage door. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I'm feeling pretty good," Chloe said, her smile growing as she looked down at their hands, which fit perfectly together. "How are you feeling?"

"I knew that you were going to crush it," Beca said as they walked towards the parking lot.

The two girls had started carpooling to and from school since they lived so close together, plus Chloe enjoyed Beca's company and visa versa. Anyways, today they were going in Beca's car, which was parked by the football field.

"I had no doubt in my mind that you were going to blow their minds," Beca stated, squeezing Chloe's hand softly. "You were incredible, Chlo," she said, repeating herself from earlier.

"Thanks, Becs," Chloe said, smiling and squeezing Beca's hand back. "Having you there made me a lot less nervous. I really appreciate you being there."

"I said it before, and I'll say it again: I wouldn't rather have been anywhere else," She said, smiling before she unlocked the keys to her car. She opened the door for Chloe after they put their stuff in the back.

"So, where are we going for ice cream?" Chloe asked as she climbed in the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt.

Beca turned on the car and pulled out of the parking lot. "I figured that we'd go to Sterling's Shack," Beca said as she drove. "Sterling's Shack has the best ice cream in this part of Seattle.

Once they got their ice cream, Beca drove them to their neighborhood. Beca parked the car in her driveway and then they went to hang out for awhile in Chloe's backyard. "I still can't believe you don't like vanilla ice cream," Beca said with a chuckle. "I mean, it's not my favorite flavor, but it's still a classic."

"It might be a classic, but it's so plain and boring," Chloe argued back, laughing along with Beca. "There are so many flavors that are better than vanilla."

"So I guess that means you never go vanilla with Chicago," Beca said, making Chloe nearly spit out the water she had just sipped.

"I'm going to pretend that you didn't say that," Chloe said, coughing and laughing along with Beca. "I'm guessing you don't do vanilla either."

"I'm anything but vanilla," Beca said, making the redhead laugh even more. She then took a bite of her chocolate fudge brownie ice cream.

"You are such a weirdo," Chloe said, playfully rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"I may be a weirdo, but you love it," Beca said, leaning back in her chair and looking up at the sky. She then remembered something that had happened earlier that day that she had been meaning to talk to Chloe about. "You'll never guess who I got paired up with for my music appreciation project."

"Who?" Chloe asked curiously, tilting her head a little and raising an eyebrow.

"Allison," Beca said, cringing as she said the name.

"Wow. Really?" Chloe said, cringing as well. "That sucks, Becs. I'm sorry about that."

"I still feel really shitty about what I did to her," Beca said, looking down and sighing as she slouched in her chair. "When we were talking about the project, she said that she was over me and our relationship, but I could tell that she didn't mean it."

"Well, maybe you should try to talk to her about it again. Sometimes people can't move on from a relationship until they have closure, and you two didn't end things on good terms," Chloe replied.

"Yeah, we didn't, and that sucks because I feel like we might still be together if I hadn't screwed everything up," Beca said, not knowing that her comment made Chloe's heart drop.

"Well, if you want to talk to her, then you should talk to her," Chloe said, looking down as well. "I'll be here for you regardless, Becs," the redhead added a few moments later.

"I don't know if I should do that. What would I even say?" Beca asked, groaning a little and closing her eyes. "I've never had to do this before."

Chloe shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't been in this situation before either, so I couldn't really tell you what to say. But I'm sure she's feeling the same way you are right now." She then paused for a moment, unable to figure out what to say next as a thought hit her. Was Beca thinking about getting back to together with Allison? "Beca, do you still have feelings for her?"

Beca looked down and ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't know. I mean, like I said, I feel bad for the way things ended and I sometimes wonder what it would be like if we were still together. I don't know if I still have feelings for her, though. I guess I'll have to figure that out, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Chloe said, looking down as well. She could feel a knot of both jealousy and pain growing in her stomach, and she had no idea why she couldn't just let this whole thing go. "I'll be right back. I need to refill my water," she said, standing up and walking through the back door into the kitchen.

She leaned against the counter for a moment, trying to figure out why she was feeling this way about her best friend. _You shouldn't be feeling this way, Chloe_ , the redhead scolded herself. _You're dating Chicago, not Beca. And so what if Beca gets back together with Allison? She can be with whoever she wants to_.

Even though Chloe kept telling herself this, the feelings didn't go away. There was a part of her that wanted to be with Beca, a part of her that longed to kiss her and to hold her while they fell asleep. When she had kissed Beca before, they were both drunk. The redhead wanted to know what it was like to kiss the brunette while they were both sober. Not only that, she wanted to be with Beca all the time.

When Chloe came back from the kitchen about ten minutes later, she saw that Beca had a worried look on her face. "What took you so long? Is everything okay?" The brunette asked, concern in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Chloe said, smiling her normal smile. "I just had sudden need to go to the bathroom. That's why I took so long," she said, hoping Beca would believe it.

Beca didn't believe Chloe's excuse, but she decided not to pursue it any further. "Just wanted to make sure," the brunette replied, smiling as the redhead came over and sat down next to her.

"When you were with Allison, were you happy?" Chloe asked, leaning back in her chair. "Because if you're planning on getting back together with her, I just want you to be sure that you'll be happy before you jump into anything."

"Yeah, I was happy when I was with Allison," Beca said with a small smile. "But I'm not planning on getting back together with her, not now at least. However, I am planning on talking to her to see how she feels."

"Okay, I just wanted to be sure," Chloe said before sipping her water again.

Allison had agreed to meet up with Beca at the local coffee shop near their school the next day so they could talk about their project. However, Beca also wanted to make things right between the two of them and hoped that she would get a chance to do so.

When Allison walked through the door, Beca waved from her table. "Hey," she said as the girl walked over.

"Hey," Allison said, smiling and waving a little before sitting down across from Beca.

"How are you?" Beca asked, taking a sip from her water bottle since she was still waiting for her coffee. "It's been awhile since we actually talked," she said.

"Yeah, it has been a while, hasn't it?" Allison said, smiling softly. "I'm doing pretty well. I've been trying to make the most out of the rest of this year. I can't believe it's already our senior year."

"Neither can I," Beca said with a chuckle before the server came with her heated caramel macchiato. "I know we talked about it briefly before, but I just want you to know how sorry I am for what happened that night. I still feel absolutely awful for what I did, and I hate myself for not trying to make things right until now."

"It's not entirely your fault, Beca," Allison replied. "I could've done more to make things right as well. The way I reacted to the situation only escalated things further, and I apologize for that."

"There's nothing you need to apologize for," Beca said, smiling softly for a moment. "I said someone else's name during sex. That's all on me. You had every right to be upset."

"Still, I feel like I could have let you explain yourself instead of screaming at you and then storming off," Allison said, smiling softly as well.

"Well, I hope you can forgive me," Beca said, sipping her coffee. "Despite things not really working out between us, I still think you're still a lot of fun to be around," she stated genuinely.

Allison smiled and looked down so Beca couldn't see that she was blushing. "Thanks, Becs. I can say the same thing about you," she replied.

"Thank you, Ali," Beca said, noticing the girl's rosy cheeks. She too blushed a little bit and then took another sip of coffee.

The two girls then got to work on their project, making some good progress on how they were going to present it to the class. The whole time they were working on it, Beca realized that she didn't have romantic feelings for Allison. However, there was still something that was on her mind, so she decided to ask the girl about it.

"Hey Ali?" Beca asked, continuing to talk after the girl nodded at her. "Is there a part of you that wonders how amazing that night could've been? You know, if I hadn't screwed it up."

Allison hesitated for a moment then answered Beca's question. "Well, I don't try to think about it, but I have thought about it before," she admitted.

"I guess there's just a part of me that thinks about it sometimes, you know?" Beca said, fiddling with her cup of coffee.

"Yeah, I get what you mean," Allison said, looking down. She then looked back up at Beca. "Why do you ask?"

As soon as Allison said that, a sudden urge entered Beca's body, an urge to finish what she'd started. It wasn't even the fact that she wanted to get back together with Allison—she didn't. Beca could just feel a tension rising between them, and she hoped Allison was sensing it too. She bit her bottom lip and then blushed a little bit, trying to hide the smile. "I don't know, maybe because-" she paused for a moment, trying to think of the proper way to say this. "I'd really like to make it up to you," she finished, smirking a little.

At first, Allison was confused by this. "Make it up to me? How would you make it up to me?" She asked. Then, realization dawned on her, and she began to blush. "Oh," she said simply, biting her lip.

"We don't have to if you don't want to," Beca said, smiling at Allison's blush. "I guess I'm a little curious as to what it would be like."

"It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I'm not sure if I want to," Allison said, looking into Beca's eyes. "I'll think about it, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I totally understand," Beca looked away for a moment. "The offer stands, if you decide you would want to take me up on it. Take your time," Beca said, mentally facepalming herself. She couldn't believe she'd asked Allison that, and even worse she probably thought Beca was just trying to use her again. "Sorry, that must've been a really weird question for you."

Allison shook her head. "No, it's okay. I didn't think it was weird at all. I was just surprised by it," the blonde replied with a small chuckle.

"I would totally understand if you turned me down after what I did to you," Beca said, shrugging her shoulders in an awkward but adorable manner.

"I said that I'll think about it, Beca. No need to get ahead of yourself," Allison said, chuckling a little more. "I'll let you know once I've made my decision," Beca smiled and laughed with her before they got back to work.

After studying with Allison for another hour or so, Beca drove herself home and waved when she saw Chicago and Chloe sitting in the swing on the Beale's front porch. "Hey, you two. How's your Saturday so far?" The brunette asked as she got out of her car and walked over over to her friends.

"My Saturday's been pretty good," Chicago replied, smiling at Beca and then smiling at Chloe. "How about you?" He asked.

"My Saturday's been pretty nice, actually," Beca said, smiling and sitting down next to Chloe on the swing. "I met up with Allison to work on our project, and we talked things over so now we're on good terms," she stated, deciding not to mention the friends-with-benefits proposal she made.

"That's good," Chicago said, smiling at Beca. "I bet it feels nice to have finally worked things out, huh?"

"Yeah, good for you Beca," Chloe said, smiling and leaning over to give Beca a hug.

"You guys planning on doing anything later? It's a bye week for the girls basketball team, and Trio is playing tonight at eight on the Quad at University of Washington. It's free," too," Beca said as she hugged Chloe back.

"Really? We'll have to come check it out then. Wouldn't that be fun, Chlo?" Chicago asked the redhead.

"Definitely," Chloe said with a quick nod of her head. "Any chance to see you guys perform."

Beca smiled and blushed a little at Chloe's words. Then, she turned to Chicago. "Did Chloe tell you about how she killed her audition?"

"Yeah, she called me last night so I thought I'd come over today and we could celebrate," Chicago said, smiling at his girlfriend before kissing her cheek. "She said that you picked out 'Titanium' for her modern piece and that the scouts loved her mix of genres. So, thank you for helping her, Beca."

Beca shook her head. "There's no need to thank me," she said. "I was just doing the right thing and helping out a friend."

"Well, I couldn't have picked a better song," Chloe said, smiling at the brunette girl sitting next to her. "So thank you."

"You're welcome. Maybe we'll serenade you tonight at the concert since your audition went so well," Beca suggested, shrugging her shoulders. "How does that sound to you, Chic?"

"That sounds like a great idea. Only, I'm not the world's greatest singer," Chicago said with a chuckle. "I wouldn't want to embarrass myself in front of everyone."

"Yeah, I know," Beca said, laughing along with her best friend. "As much as I love you, your talent doesn't come in the form of singing," She stated, making the other two laugh. "Is there any song in particular that you would want us to sing for you tonight Chloe? Any song would work."

Chloe thought about it for a moment, and then shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really have a particular song that I'd like you to sing. Why don't you surprise me? You're really good at picking out songs for occasions, as shown by you picking 'Titanium' for me to sing at my audition."

"That actually may work," Beca said. "Jesse and I wrote a song together that we haven't performed at a concert yet, so maybe that'll be the song we dedicate to you," She said with a smile on her face. "And I think you'll enjoy it."

"I'm sure that I'll enjoy it," Chloe replied, smiling back at Beca. "I enjoy all of your songs. You're such a talented songwriter, Becs."

"Uh, thanks," Beca replied, hiding her blush as much as she possibly could. She then stood up and headed towards the steps. "I've gotta go get my instruments packed for the concert. I'll see you guys tonight," she stated before disappearing down the steps and over to her house.

Chicago watched Beca walk over to her house and then turned back to Chloe. "Going to that show tonight will be a lot of fun. I'm really gonna miss seeing Trio perform together once we graduate."

"Me too, I wish I could've seen them in their early days," Chloe said, leaning her head on Chicago's shoulder. She linked their hands and rested them on her lap. "I can't wait to hear their new song tonight."

"Me neither, I bet it's amazing," Chicago said, smiling.

After a little moment of silence between the couple, Chloe spoke up again. "Have you gotten any closer to where you're going to commit?" She asked, hoping New York was at the top of his list.

"No, not since I narrowed down the list of schools to three," Chicago replied. "I'm still hoping that I'll get an offer from Georgia, but I'll be happy even if I don't end up getting an offer."

"I hope you're still considering New York," Chloe said, biting her lip. "It'd be nice if I got to see you play," She stated, closing her eyes.

"Of course I'm still considering New York, babe. It's in my top three," Chicago told his girlfriend with a smile. "I'd love it if you got to see me play, and we'd be able to hang out all the time too."

Those words made Chloe's heart relax a little bit. "Good," she said. "It's not that I don't want you to go to Georgia or wherever you decide, I guess it would just be nice to have you around when I'm in New York."

Chicago nodded in agreement with Chloe. "I want to have you around too, Chlo. I mean, I know we could make long distance work because we're a strong couple, but I'd prefer to be close to you and not far away. That's why New York is in my top three for colleges."

Chloe smiled and then leaned in to give her handsome boyfriend a sweet kiss on the lips. It was only meant to be a quick peck, but both of them leaned into it as it went on. The redhead pulled back breathlessly, smiling into those beautiful blueish green eyes. "You know, my parents won't be back for the next few hours," She muttered as Chic started planting needy kisses on her neck while she ran her fingers through his hair.

"That's good to know," Chicago muttered back, trailing his lips from her neck down to her collarbone. "Maybe we should take this inside," he murmured softly, gently nipping at her skin with his teeth.

Without another word, Chloe grabbed Chicago's hand and they ran inside. It didn't take long before they were in Chloe's room with the door closed and locked while the blinds were drawn at the window.

About twenty-five to thirty minutes later, the two of them were tangled up in the sheets of Chloe's bed. Chloe had her head on Chicago's shoulder as one of her hands traced along his bare, sweaty chest. The redhead smiled as she lay there in his arms with her eyes closed. "Incredible," she said, turning her head to give him a quick peck on the lips before resuming her recent position.

"Yeah, incredible," Chicago said, smiling and closing his eyes before sighing with content. "This never gets old," the boy added a few moments later.

"You should be proud of yourself because you last a lot longer than Tom ever did," Chloe said, smiling when she saw the smirk on Chicago's face.

A part of her felt a little guilty inside as they lay there in each others arms. It had faded away while they were having sex; however while they were kissing and starting a little foreplay, Chloe couldn't help but imagine she was kissing Beca. Even though it went away once the actually sex began, it was all Chloe could think about at the moment.

"Can we start round two now?" Chloe asked, wanting to take her mind off things. Chicago was an amazing boyfriend, and Chloe truly did love him. She had to stop having these thoughts about Beca. "I'm ready if you are," She said, smiling deviously up at her boyfriend.

"Alright. I'm ready," Chicago said, smirking back at Chloe. "Do you want me to take the lead or do you want to take the lead?" He asked her.

"I took the lead last time, so you go ahead," Chloe said as Chicago got on top of her and began to kiss her neck and jawline.

That night around 7:30, Chloe and Chicago headed to the University of Washington and went straight to the quad that Beca's band was playing on. "I'm really excited for this concert," Chicago said as he and Chloe walked hand-in-hand towards the stage on the quad. "I know I've said that a million times already, but I mean it. Plus, I can't wait to hear the song that they're going to dedicate to you," He said, smiling and leaning over to kiss her cheek.

"Me too," Chloe said, feeling her heart race when Chicago talk about Beca's new song. She wondered if it was a love song that Beca had written for her, just the thought of that got Chloe even more excited to watch them perform. _Snap out of it!_ The redhead told herself. _For Pete's sake, you have a boyfriend! And an amazing one like that. Besides, when have you ever been attracted to girls?_

Chloe was brought out of her thoughts by Chicago, who was waving his hand in front of her face. "Hello? Earth to Chloe," he said in a joking manner while chuckling.

"What?" Chloe said. "Oh yeah, sorry. I just got lost in thought for a moment," She stated as they continued to walk towards the quad.

"Okay, just making sure," Chicago replied, chuckling a little more. They got to the stage and made their way through the crowd so that they were standing a few rows behind the front row, giving them a good view for the concert.

Chloe looked around at everyone who was there, and she smiled when she saw Aubrey, Stacie, Emily and Cynthia walk up to meet them. After they said hello, the redhead continued to look around. She then saw someone who she didn't expect to see: Allison.

The blonde made eye contact with the redhead and waved at her before walking over to her. "Hey, Chloe. How's it going?" Allison asked in a friendly voice.

"Hi, Allison. I'm doing well. How are you?" Chloe asked with a genuine smile, though she was still a bit nervous to talk to the blonde after everything that had happened.

"I'm doing well too," Allison replied, smiling back at Chloe. "I'm really excited to see Trio perform tonight. I haven't been to one of their shows in a long time."

"Yeah, neither have I. They haven't performed a lot these last few months because Beca has basketball," Chloe said, tucking her hair back. "Beca told me that you two are on good terms again. That's great to hear."

"Yeah, we worked things out while we were hanging out at the coffee shop today. I'm really glad that we're on good terms again. I've missed spending time with her," Allison admitted, looking down and smiling softly.

"I think it's great you guys worked things out. Beca seemed really happy when she got back from hanging with you earlier," Chloe mentioned, though it hurt her slightly to say that. "What did you guys talk about? You know, besides putting the past behind you two."

"That's all we talked about, really," Allison said. "The only other thing we talked about was our project."

"Cool. That's good to know," Chloe said, tucking her hair back once again. "We're having a party at my place after the concert, and you're more than welcome to join us. I'm sure Beca would love it if you came."

Allison thought about Chloe's offer for a few moments and then nodded her head, smiling as well. "Yeah, I'll come. Thanks for the invite."

"Great," Chloe said with a smile.

Then, Trio came up onstage and people started cheering. "Hello everyone!" Beca said into the microphone, getting a loud and happy response from the crowd. "How's everyone doing tonight?" She asked, getting another loud cheer from the crowd. "Good. I'm glad that you guys have decided to spend your night with us. We're going to do our best to make sure you all have a good time."

"Our first song is going to be a new one that we've just put together. It's for a very special person, some of you who go to school with us know her as Chloe Beale," Beca said, smiling as their friend group cheered loudly for the redhead. "She recently auditioned for Juilliard, I was there and I can tell you she was absolutely amazing, so I'd like to dedicate this song to her. This one is called 'Brand New.'"

"Brand New"- Ben Rector

"I feel like new sunglasses, like a brand new pair of jeans.

I feel like taking chances, I feel a lot like seventeen.

I feel like windows rolled down, new city, streets and cabs.

I feel like anything can happen, laughing, you take me right back.

When we were kids, never thought I'd feel like this."

Chloe gazed up at the brunette onstage, unable to keep the smile from spreading across her face as she listened to the girl sing her heart out and play the keyboard flawlessly.

"Like when I close my eyes and don't even care if anyone sees me dancing.

Like I can fly and don't even think of touching the ground.

Like a heartbeat skip, like an open page,

Like a one-way trip on an aeroplane.

It's the way that I feel when I'm with you: brand new!"

Ohh Ohh Ohh Ohhh

Ohhhhh

Ohh Ohh Ohh Ohhh

Ohhh ohhhhhh."

Beca made eye contact with Chloe and smiled at the redhead as she finished the chorus. Then, the brunette went into the second verse, harmonizing with Benji as she sang.

"I feel like a young John Cusack, like making big mistakes.  
I feel like for the first time in a long time I am not afraid.

I feel like a kid, never thought it'd feel like this.

Like when I close my eyes and don't even care if anyone sees me dancing.

Like I can fly and don't even think of touching the ground.

Like a heartbeat skip, like an open page,

Like a one-way trip on an aeroplane.

It's the way that I feel when I'm with you: brand new!"

The crowd had into the song for awhile now, jumping on the grass and dancing to the song as they cheered. Beca's eyes were still on a particular redhead as she danced to the music. The brunette couldn't keep the smile off of her face as she sang.

"Time will always try to make us fold

You remind me of what I used to know.

Like when I close my eyes and don't even care if anyone sees me dancing.

Like I can fly and don't even think of touching the ground.

Like a heartbeat skip, like an open page,

Like a one-way trip on an aeroplane.

It's the way that I feel when I'm with you: brand new!

Brand new, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I feel, and I feel,

And I feel brand new.

I feel brand new.

I feel brand new."

The smile on Beca's face grew even wider when the crowd cheered like crazy after the song was over. "Thank you, thank you," she said into the microphone, bowing a couple of times. "So, how was that song? Did you like it?" She asked the crowd.

The crowd erupted with thunderous applause, cheering Beca, Jesse, and Benji one. Beca chuckled into the microphone and then strapped one of her guitars on before looking at Chloe, who was near the front row. "Did you enjoy it, Red?" She asked, smiling when she got a nod from Chloe instantly. "Let's hear it for Chloe everyone!" She yelled, getting the crowd to cheer for her.

While the crowd was cheering for the redhead, there was a moment between her and the brunette in which they only saw each other. Beca smiled and winked at Chloe, waving at her in a cute way as well. Chloe winked back at Beca, smiling from ear-to-ear. "Good job, Becs!" She called out to her friend, knowing that she probably couldn't hear her over the crowd but still wanting to let the brunette know that her performance was amazing.

Allison was standing a few feet away from Chloe and watched the whole interaction between her and Beca. At first, she thought Beca was smiling and waving at her, but she realized that the brunette was waving at Chloe when she turned her head and saw that the redhead was waving back. The blonde then looked at Beca, whose smile seemed to have grown impossibly wider. She also noticed the same look in her eyes that was always there when she looked at Chloe―a look of fondness and affection.

 **Looks like things are starting to build romantically between our beloved female leads. Chloe's started developing feelings for Beca that she doesn't quite understand yet.**

 **Will Allison take Beca up on that offer? Or will she and Beca just remain friends without benefits? Keep reading to find out.**

 **Also, will Chloe get into Juilliard? And will Chicago go with her and play at NYU?**

 **Until next time!**


	18. Chapter 18: What Am I Going To Do?

Chapter 18: What Am I Going To Do?

After Trio's concert ended, Beca was packing up her instruments. After she put her keyboard in its case, she turned and saw a group of fans standing there. "Oh, hey. Did you all enjoy the show?" She asked with a friendly smile. The fans nodded and then asked to take pictures with her, which the brunette gladly did.

Beca then continued to pack up her instruments and other belongings after the fans left. As she was doing this, her group of friends, including Allison, walked up to her. Beca turned to greet them with a big smile on her face. "Hey, guys. Did you like the show?"

"It was great, Beca," Chicago said with a smile before giving his best friend a hug. "And that new song is really good. You and Jesse wrote that?" He asked, turning to Jesse and Benji and high-giving them.

"Yeah, we did. It took awhile, but I think that the final product is pretty good," Beca replied. She then picked up her guitar case and her keyboard case. "Do you guys wanna walk with me to my car?" She asked.

Everyone nodded and then they began walking to Beca's car. Beca saw Allison in the back of the group and went back to join her so they could walk together. "The concert was incredible, Beca," Allison told her with a smile.

"Thank you. I'm happy that you made it," Beca said, smiling and putting her arm around the blonde girl's shoulder. This action made the blonde blush, but she looked down so Beca didn't see.

Chloe, who was walking next to Chicago in the front of the group, turned around when she noticed that Beca wasn't walking next to her. The redhead saw that the brunette was walking with Allison, and she couldn't help but furrow her eyebrows a bit when she saw her put her arm around the blonde's shoulder. She turned around so she didn't have to see them interact, and she linked her hand with Chicago's to take her mind off of it.

"What made you decide to come to the show?" Beca asked as they neared her car. "And What was your favorite song that we played tonight?"

Allison shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I didn't have much else going on tonight, so I decided to come check it out," she answered. "And my favorite song was definitely 'Brand New,'" the blonde added.

"Yeah, I love that one too," Beca said as they reached her car. "It definitely had the crowd dancing." She unlocked her car door and packed her equipment in the back with the help of Chicago and Jesse. She then turned back to Allison, smiling and putting her hands in her pockets. "We're having a little after-party now Chloe's house. Would you want to come? Everyone would love to hang out with you."

Allison nodded. "Yeah, Chloe already invited me. I'll be there," Allison replied, smiling back at Beca.

"Great. I'll see you there, Ali," Beca said, smiling and fiddling with her car keys.

Once Allison walked away, Chloe walked over. "Hey, Beca," she said, smiling at the brunette. "That song was absolutely incredible. Thank you for singing it for me tonight," she said, smiling.

"You don't need to thank me, Chlo," Beca replied, smiling back at the redhead. "I sang the song for you because you did great at your audition. If anything, you deserved the song,"

"Still, it's an amazing song, so thank you," Chloe said, bringing Beca into a friendly embrace. The redhead smiled at the girl's faint perfume, because it smelled like lavender and sage.

"You're welcome, Chlo," Beca said, smiling and closing her eyes as she embraced the redhead. After they pulled away from their hug, Beca unlocked her car and opened the door on the driver's side. "I'll see you at the party in a little bit."

"Yeah, I'll see you there." Chloe smiled and stepped back before walking towards Chicago, who was standing by his car and talking to Jesse.

"You haven't asked her out yet? Dude, what's holding you back?" Chicago asked, referring to Aubrey.

"I don't know how. I've tried but the words just get stuck in my throat," Jesse said, sighing and scratching his head.

"You should definitely ask her out. You guys already act like you're dating anyways. I wouldn't be surprised if she thinks you two are dating," Chicago commented, chuckling.

"But we've never really had the talk," Jesse said, leaning against the car. "I honestly don't know if she wants to date me or not.I mean, she hasn't brought it up either. And I don't want to push things too far if we're just friends," He said, sighing. "I don't want to lose my virginity to a girl who only sees me as a friend."

"Wait, you're still a virgin, Jesse?" Chloe said, a bit surprised. "I had no idea."

"Yeah, I'm a virgin. And so are Emily, Benji and Cynthia, but that's not the point," Jesse said, starting to look more stressed. "I just don't to freak her out or scare her away."

"I don't think that being honest with her would freak her out, and it certainly wouldn't scare her away," Chicago told him. "If anything, she'd be grateful for your honesty. Not everyone is willing to share what they really feel, and I think Aubrey would appreciate that."

"You guys really think I should just go for it and ask her out?" Jesse asked, receiving two nodding heads from his friends.

"Definitely," Chicago said, wrapping his arm around Chloe's shoulder. "If I hadn't been honest with Chloe about how I felt, she may not be my girlfriend today. But we're together and we're perfectly happy, aren't we baby?" Chicago said, kissing her cheek.

Chloe took a deep breath and nodded, trying to not make it look hesitant. Yes, of course she was happy to be with Chicago. Things were just complicated at that moment for Chloe because of the conflicting feelings she was having in regards to Chicago and Beca.

Jesse looked down and awkwardly shuffled his feet for a few moments before looking back up. "What should I say?" He asked. "I mean, I don't want to just say 'Will you go out with me?' I kinda want to do a romantic gesture of some sort, but not something too big or something that would make her reject me."

"Why don't you sing to her?" Chloe suggested. "Every girl loves a serenade, especially if the person asking them out has a dreamy voice, which you definitely have," she said, smiling and patting his shoulder. "Find a song that reminds you of her, and then find a time tonight at the party to sing to her. But make sure you're alone because Aubrey isn't a huge fan of crowds."

Jesse thought of Chloe's idea for a few moments then started to smile and nod his head. "You know what? That's not a bad idea. It's a great idea, actually. That's what I'm gonna do," he said, his smile growing as he started to gain confidence.

"You can use my family's music room. It has pianos, guitars, whatever you need," Chloe said, smiling as Jesse seemed to get less stressed.

"Great. Thanks, Chloe. Your help means a lot to me," Jesse said, smiling gratefully towards his friend.

"Well, I want you to be happy like Chicago and I are," Chloe said, smiling back at Jesse. "Plus, you've been wanting to ask her out since the beginning of the school year. You need to just do it."

"I do, and I will," Jesse said. "Thanks for the help and advice, guys. I'm feeling a lot better about asking Aubrey out now," he added.

"No problem," Chicago said, smiling and high fiving his friend. "Now get going, we will see you at the party," He stated before Jesse nodded and ran over to his car.

Soon, everyone who had been invited was at the party, including Allison. Beca was currently trying to find a way to get Allison to agree to the whole arrangement she had proposed earlier that day at the coffee shop. The brunette saw the blonde sitting by herself on one of the couches in Chloe's living room, so she decided to join her.

"Hey there," Beca said as she sat down on the couch next to Allison. "What's up?" She asked.

"Not much. I'm just surveying everything while enjoying a hard lemonade," Allison said with a smile as she looked around the room at everyone. Chicago and Chloe were cuddling in one of the sofa chairs while having a conversation with Stacie. Emily and Cynthia Rose were talking about their favorite bands, and it looked like Jesse was talking to Aubrey about something.

Allison then turned back to Beca. "I can't get over how great your concert was tonight."

Beca smiled and blushed a little at Allison's compliment. "Thanks. I don't think it was anything spectacular, but it's definitely one of the best shows that Trio has had."

"Well, it's the best one I've been to," Allison said, biting her lip for a moment. She then took a sip of her drink, hoping Beca would find something for them to talk about. Allison still hadn't decided if she was going to accept Beca's offer. She wanted to say yes, but she didn't want Beca's feelings for Chloe to get in the way.

"I'm glad that you enjoyed it," Beca replied, looking down at her hands. "I'm gonna miss performing with Jesse and Benji after we graduate, that's for sure. Everything good must come to an end at some point, right?"

"Yeah, unfortunately that's the case in most situations," Allison said, rubbing Beca's shoulder to comfort her. "But that doesn't mean it'll be gone forever. Who knows, maybe after college you guys can get the band back together and light up the world with your kickass music."

"Yeah, maybe," Beca said, running her fingers through her hair. "I hope we'll get to reunite at some point, but that's not very likely. I'll just have to remember all the good times we had together and hope that we'll be able to make music together at some point down the road."

Allison smiled and then leaned back against the couch, taking another sip of her drink. She then looked over at Chloe, who was sitting on Chicago's lap while talking to Stacie. "I know you still have feelings for her," the blonde said in a quiet voice so only the brunette could hear her. When Beca opened her mouth to say something on the contrary, Allison stopped her. "Don't try to deny it. I saw how you looked at her during the concert. Each time you sang a love song, you were looking into her eyes."

"Who said that I was going to deny it?" Beca said, her tone of voice a little harsher than she intended it to be. "And why are you bringing this up? What does it matter to you?" The brunette added.

"I just-" Allison started before sighing and sipping her drink. "You asked me to be your fuckbuddy, Beca. I need to know if you're in a good place to do that. Becoming friends-with-benefits has consequences, and I want to know if you can live with those consequences," she finished, looking down.

"What consequences are you talking about?" Beca asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Who would get hurt by us doing this? Would it affect any of your friends or family? Stuff like that," Allison said, turning to face Beca. "Believe me, I really want to do this with you, Beca. But you first have to tell me that it won't hurt anyone close to you."

Beca thought of Allison's words. Truth be told, she didn't know if or how it would affect her friends and family. "Uh, I don't know," she answered, scratching the back of her head.

"Think about it for awhile and then find me when you have an answer," Allison said, taking Beca's hand and squeezing it before getting up to go to the bathroom.

Beca leaned back against the couch and closed her eyes for a few moments, letting out a sigh. Chloe looked over and saw that Beca was sitting by herself, so she got up from Chicago's lap and went to join the brunette. "Hey Becs," the redhead said as she sat down next to her friend.

"Oh, hey," Beca said, opening her eyes when she heard the familiar voice. She sat up and smiled at the redhead. "Enjoying yourself so far?" Beca asked, watching Allison open the bathroom door and go inside before her turning her attention went to Chloe.

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, I am. How about you? Are you enjoying yourself so far?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm doing alright," Beca said, smiling at the redhead sitting next to her. A few moments later, the brunette spoke up again. "Hey, can I ask you something?" Chloe nodded and Beca continued. "If you were in a situation where you really wanted to do something but you were worried about what your friends and family might think, would you not do it to keep them happy or would you follow what your heart wants?"

Chloe paused for a few moments to think of an answer to Beca's question. "Well, it depends on what the situation is," the redhead started. "You have to consider the possible outcomes of said situation. If it were me in the situation, I would do what would make me the most happy while also keeping in mind that my actions may affect the people around me. If I would be happy not doing the thing that I wanted to do while keeping my family and friends happy, then I would do that. But if I would be unhappy not doing the thing I wanted to do, then I would do the thing I wanted to do. Does that make sense?" She asked.

Beca opened her mouth and then closed it without saying a word. She then thought about who in her life would be affected by her decision. Chloe didn't return Beca's feelings, so it wouldn't affect her. Chicago and the rest of her friends would be supportive of Beca's decisions if they made her happy. As for her family, they knew she was sexually active, so it wouldn't a surprise to them if they found out that Beca was sleeping with Allison. The brunette then looked at Chloe. "I think I'm going to do what my heart wants," she said, smiling softly. "Thanks for the advice, Chloe. I better go get my drink refilled. I'll talk to you later."

Chloe smiled back at Beca. "No problem, Becs. I'll gladly give you advice any time. I'll talk to you later," she said, watching as the brunette got up and walked away towards the kitchen.

About an hour or so later, Allison was talking to Benji about his plan to go to NYU for musical theatre when Beca texted her to come out onto the front porch so they could talk some more. Allison put her phone back in her pocket and then walked out to meet Beca, who was sitting on the front steps. "Hey. Have you come to a conclusion?" She asked.

Beca nodded her head. "Yeah, I have," she said, gesturing for Allison to come sit next to her.

"Alright then, what's your conclusion?" The blonde asked, sitting down next to Beca on the steps.

Beca paused for a moment before answering Allison's question. "I thought about it, and I don't think that us being friends-with-benefits would affect anyone I'm close to. I want this."

A smile played at the blonde girl's lips and she bit her lip softly. "So, when would you like to start?" She said, smiling at the brunette with devious look in her eyes.

"Whenever you want to," Beca replied, smirking back at Allison. "I'm ready to start when you are," she added.

"Jesse said they have an extra bedroom downstairs and it's always vacant," Allison said, her body filling with lust. "He also said it's soundproof, so meet me down there in five minutes," she said before heading back inside.

"Okay. I'll be there," Beca said, smirking as she watched Allison walk back inside the house. The brunette waited outside for five more minutes before going inside and heading downstairs. She found the door to the bedroom and knocked on it once before opening it, closing it behind her after she walked inside.

Allison stood there smiling in the dimly lit bedroom. She already had taken off her jacket and unbuttoned her blouse so her cleavage was showing. "Get over here and rock my world, Mitchell," she said as Beca locked the door.

"Well, if you insist," Beca replied, walking over to Allison and connecting their lips in a slow kiss. It quickly grew more heated, and Beca took Allison's hand, pulling her down onto the bed.

Allison unbuttoned her blouse a little bit more for Beca, making sure her push-up bra was showing. "If I remember this correctly, you're a 'boob man,'" she said, giggling when she felt Beca's hands on her waist.

"You do remember correctly," Beca said, chuckling a little. The brunette moved one hand up from the blonde's lips and cupped her cheek as they kissed again.

As the kiss got more and more intense, Allison gently pushed Beca against the headboard of the bed. "You're such a good kisser, Beca," she mumbled. The blonde then moved to straddle Beca, unbuttoning the rest of her blouse and taking it off right in front of Beca's eyes for her enjoyment.

"Wow," Beca murmured softly, letting her eyes take in the view in front of her. "You're gorgeous, Ali," she whispered, looking up into the blonde's eyes and smiling softly.

"Thank you," the blonde girl said, smiling as Beca's lips traveled to her neck, chest, and cleavage. Allison ran her hands through Beca's hair and let out a satisfied sigh. "Give me as many hickeys as you want, Beca. Mark me up."

"Are you sure?" Beca murmured in Allison's ear. "What if people see them?" She asked.

"Then place them in spots where people won't see," Allison whispered back with a low tone, indicating she was turned on. She then nibbled on Beca's earlobe and let her continue her ministrations.

Beca moved her lips to Allison's collarbone and gently nipped at her skin with her teeth, soothing the bite she had just made with her tongue. "Is this okay?" The brunette whispered, leaving another hickey on the blonde's collarbone.

"Mmhmm," Allison answered, softly moaning as Beca's lips continued their attack. "You have too much clothing on right now," she whispered, stopping Beca for a moment take off her button up and then the tank top she was wearing underneath. "There, much better," she said with smile, massaging the girl's breasts through her bra.

"Shit," Beca muttered under her breath, biting down on her lip to prevent herself from moaning. Allison's actions spurred the brunette on, and she started to leave more hickeys on the girl's skin.

"Fuck, Beca," Allison murmured, grabbing at her partner's head and moaning loudly. Allison unbuttoned Beca's jeans and then pulled them off. She then flipped them over so Beca was on top. "Take control, kiss me all over, then fuck me like you mean it," she said firmly, gazing up at Beca.

"How much do you want me to do those things?" Beca asked, running her fingers through Allison's blonde hair and tugging at the ends of it.

"I've been wanting this for so long. I'm so ready for you," Allison said, tugging on Beca's bottom lip with her teeth. "Please just bang me as hard as you can, Beca."

"Don't worry, Ali, I will. I'm just going to tease you a little bit so you get as much pleasure possible when I rock your world," Beca growled.

Allison moaned at Beca's words and spread her legs a little further apart. "You may want to take these off," she said, gesturing to her jeans.

"I'll get to that eventually, Ali. You're rather impatient today," Beca murmured back with a chuckle.

"I've been wanting you to fuck me for a long time. Can you blame me for being a little hasty?" Allison giggled, blushing before letting Beca get to work.

A little while later, the two girls were laying next to each other in the bed, Beca's arm wrapped around Allison's waist. "That was fucking good," she murmured softly, closing her eyes and sighing with content.

"You definitely brought your A-game," Allison said, chuckling as she wiped the sweat off of her forehead. "It's been too long since I've actually gotten laid," she stated, turning to face Beca. "How long has it been for you?"

Beca scrunched up her face in a cute manner as she tried to think. "I can't even remember the last time I got laid, so it's definitely been a long time," Beca replied with a chuckle. "I'd have to say probably July of last year at Jesse's Fourth of July party."

Allison chuckled and then sat up in the bed and turn to sit on her sides edge. "We should probably head back up before they notice how long we've been gone," she stated, fixing her hair and putting her bra and underwear back on. "Also, we need a system for this. Do we want to set a limit to how many times a week we do this, or do you just want to let me know when you're horny and I'll do the same?"

Beca shrugged her shoulders, sitting up to grab her clothes so she could start getting dressed. "Whatever works for you. I don't really have a preference," she replied.

"Neither do I. I just wanted to know if you did," Allison said as she put her blouse back on and zipped up her jeans. Once she was completely dressed, she turned to Beca. "Do I look normal?" She asked. When Beca nodded, Allison smiled. "How was it for you, the sex?"

"It was great, like, really great," Beca replied, smiling back at Allison. "How was I? I hope I was good," the brunette added with a nervous chuckle.

"You were incredible, actually," Allison stated with a confident look on her face. "I haven't sex that was that good in awhile."

"Good. I'm glad that it was as good for you as it was for me," Beca said, smiling and then looking down at the floor.

A few minutes later, Allison left the room and Beca waited in there for a little while longer so no one suspected anything. After about a minute or two, the brunette left the extra bedroom and went upstairs to the main floor. She walked into the kitchen, where Stacie and Cynthia Rose were grabbing some drinks. The two girls looked at Beca with smirks on their faces, and the brunette raised an eyebrow at them. "Why are you smirking at me?" She asked.

"Don't act like you don't know," Cynthia Rose said, scoffing a chuckle.

"I've done that trick a hundred times," Stacie mentioned.

"What trick?" Beca asked.

"The 'let's leave the bedroom at separate times so no one so no one knows that we just fucked' trick," Stacie said, crossing her arms as she tried not to laugh. "Since when have you and Allison been screwing each other?"

"W-we're not," Beca stuttered, although she knew that denying it was useless at this point. "This was the first time. But please don't go telling everyone about it, okay?"

"We won't tell anyone, Beca," Stacie said with a genuine tone.

"But if you don't want anyone else to find out, then you and Allison need to schedule your boning sessions carefully," Cynthia Rose added, leaning up against the counter. "And just be careful. Having casual sex is nice for a little while, but there are consequences. Someone always ends up getting hurt, even if it's not the two people participating."

"Who would get hurt by me and Allison being friends-with-benefits?" Beca asked. "I didn't think that anyone would really care enough to be offended by it."

"Then why are you asking us not to tell anyone?" Cynthia Rose asked, raising her eyebrows at Beca.

"All we're saying is that you want to be careful in situations like this," Stacie stated, putting a hand on the shorter brunette's shoulder. "You may not think that it will hurt anyone, but it could. We're not trying to tell you what to do. We're just looking out for you."

"And I appreciate that you guys are looking out for me," Beca replied. "But you really don't need to worry about me. I'm going to be fine," she added.

As the three girls were talking, Chloe had been standing out in the hall listening. She was going to get another drink when she'd heard what they were talking about. Her heart sank when they mentioned Beca sleeping with Allison. She felt an aching feeling in her heart; her stomach felt like it had flipped upside down. The redhead felt tears welling up in her eyes before she ran up to her bedroom and shut the door.

Chloe couldn't understand why she was feeling this way. Beca was only her friend, so why was she feeling this way? _She's your friend, Chloe. You should be happy that she and Allison have reconnected. Allison makes her happy, therefore you should be happy_ , Chloe said to herself, running her fingers through her hair and trying to hold in her tears.

Eventually, she was unable to hold in her tears any longer and they began falling down her cheeks. _Why Beca, of all people? Why am I having these feelings for my boyfriend's best friend?_ Chloe cried into her pillow.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the redhead's door. Aubrey had noticed that her friend had been gone from the party for awhile, so she decided to go check on her. "Chloe? Are you in here?"

The redhead heard Aubrey's voice and instantly wiped away her tears, sniffling in the process. "Uh, yeah I am. Come on in, Bree."

Aubrey opened the door and stepped inside the room, a concerned look appearing on her face when she noticed that Chloe looked as if she had been crying. "Are you okay?" She asked.

Chloe knew that it was no use lying to Aubrey since the girl was very good at reading people and could easily tell if someone was lying. "No, I'm not okay. I should be, but I'm not."

Aubrey walked over and sat down on the end of Chloe's bed. "Do you want to talk about it? I understand if you don't, but I might be able to help."

After a couple more sniffles, Chloe started to speak. "Do you think it's possible to fall for someone even if you're committed to someone else?"

As soon as Chloe said those words, Aubrey knew what this was about. "Well, I don't believe in cheating, but I do think that it's okay to have feelings for another person while you're in a relationship as long as you don't act on those feelings," she answered.

"I know, I'd never cheat on Chicago," Chloe said, barely finishing her sentence before tears started falling down her cheeks again. "I just can't get this person off of my mind no matter what I do. I don't understand why I can't just focus on how amazing Chicago is to me. I don't get why I'm having these feelings. I've never felt this way before about anyone and it keeps wracking my brain," she said, her tears now flowing like a river.

"A part of me knows that I'll never be unfaithful to Chic, but another part of me wants to be with this person. I don't know what to do," Chloe cried, putting her head in her hands. "I feel awful because Chicago's the most amazing guy, and I would hate myself if I hurt him. I just can't get this other person out of my head. My heart races whenever I see her; it's tearing me apart inside."

"Come here," Aubrey said, opening her arms. She held Chloe when the redhead hugged her and rubbed soothing circles into her back. "It's going to be okay, Chloe. You're a good person, and I know that you're going to do the right thing. It's hard to let go of feelings, but if you try hard enough, I promise that you'll get this person out of your head," the blonde said in a reassuring voice.

"But what if I can't, Aubrey? I've tried everything, and I still can't get Bec-" She stopped herself and closed her eyes, trying to stop crying.

"Beca? The person is Beca?" Aubrey asked, even though she already knew the answer to her question.

At first, Chloe hesitated to answer, but then she slowly nodded her head. "Yes." She stated simply, feeling more tears burn in her eyes. "Ever since Stacie's birthday, I haven't been able to stop thinking about her. I asked her to help me with my Juilliard audition, but that was just so I could spend more time with her, not because I needed help." Chloe said, wiping a few more tears that fell down her cheeks. "I've never had feelings for another girl before, but when I'm around Beca, I can't help but feel this romantic attraction towards her."

Aubrey was silent as she listened to Chloe and thought of what to say in response. "Well, to me it sounds like you've really fallen for Beca, but you already know that," she started. "I don't really know what advice I can give that would help you with your situation. I would maybe try to spend less time with Beca, if that's possible. It's not that I think you two should stop being friends, it's that you'll be less likely to be tempted to act on your feelings if you're not around her."

"She's Chicago's best friend, Bree," Chloe said, trying to see how what Aubrey's solution would work. "They hang out all the time. How am I supposed to avoid her?"

"Well, maybe when you spend time with Chicago, you should ask to spend time alone with him. That way, Beca won't be with you guys," Aubrey suggested. She then shrugged her shoulders. "I don't have any other ideas. I'm just trying to help."

"I hate this," Chloe stated, leaning her head on Aubrey's shoulder for a moment. "Will you go get Chicago and send him up here?" She asked, sitting up and wiping the tears from her eyes so she looked normal.

Aubrey hesitated at first. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" She asked the redhead. "Maybe you should wait and regain your composure before talking to him."

"I'm not going to talk to him; I just want to fall asleep in his arms. Maybe that will help me get my mind off of Beca for now," Chloe said, wiping her stained mascara off of her cheeks before taking a couple deep breaths.

"Okay. I'll talk to you later. I hope you feel better," Aubrey said, smiling at her friend before leaving the room and going downstairs to fetch Chicago.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. "Hey, babe, it's me," Chicago said. "Am I good to come in?" He asked.

"Yeah, come in," Chloe said, smiling softly when the door opened and her boyfriend walked in.

Chicago closed the door behind him and smiled at her. "Aubrey said you were tired and needed some cuddles. May I help with that?" He asked, taking off his jacket and his shoes.

"Yes please," Chloe said cutely, smiling and moving over on her bed to give Chicago some room. Once the boy had climbed onto the bed, Chloe lay her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "Chic, are you going to New York with me?" She asked.

Chicago hesitated at first, not knowing how to answer Chloe's question. The boy wanted to say yes, but there was something stopping him from doing so. That something was the fact that he had been offered a full ride scholarship to play at Georgia, his dream school. The offer was too good to pass up, and he was now going to commit there. The only thing that kept him from telling Chloe was that he knew she would probably say they would have to break up before they left. He, of all people, knew how hard long distance relationships are for kids their age.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to go to New York with you. I don't want us to be apart," Chicago whispered, hating himself for telling her a lie. The boy hoped that when he finally told Chloe the truth, she'd understand why he hid it from her.

"Good. I don't want to be apart from you either," Chloe said, closing her eyes and smiling softly. "I can't wait until we're in New York together," the redhead added a few moments later, her smile growing as she said those words.

"Me neither, babe." Chicago said, taking a deep breath and kissing the temple of her head before closing his eyes.

Meanwhile downstairs, Jesse went to make his move on Aubrey. "Hey Bree, can I talk to you?"

"Yeah, sure," Aubrey said, following Jesse into the other room. She noticed that the boy seemed to be pretty nervous. "What's up?" She asked.

Once they were in the music room, Jesse turned to face Aubrey. "I just wanted to talk to you about something that's been troubling me," he said, taking a deep breath. He then grabbed a guitar. "I've liked you since freshman year, and I've been scared to tell you. I'm still scared, actually. So I talked to Chicago and Chloe, and they told me to tell you in the best way I know how." The boy then closed his eyes and took a couple deep breaths before beginning to sing.

"She Will Be Loved"- Maroon 5

"Beauty queen of only eighteen,

She had some trouble with herself.

He was always there to help her,

She always belonged to someone else.

I drove for miles and miles and wound up at your door.

I've had you so many times but somehow I want more.

I don't mind spending everyday

Out on your corner in the pouring rain.

Look for the girl with the broken smile,

Ask her if she wants to stay awhile.

And she will be loved,

And she will be loved,

Oh."

Aubrey smiled and she watched him sing, her heartbeat racing and her eyes welling up with happy tears.

Jesse smiled back at Aubrey and then looked down shyly as he went into the second verse of the song.

"Tap on my window, knock on my door,

I want to make you feel beautiful.

I know I tend to get so insecure,  
It doesn't matter anymore.

It's not always rainbows and butterflies,

It's compromise that moves us along, yeah.

My heart is full, and my door's always open,  
You can come anytime you want, yeah.

I don't mind spending everyday  
Out on your corner in the pouring rain.  
Look for the girl with the broken smile,

Ask her if she wants to stay awhile.

And she will be loved,

And she will be loved,

And she will be loved,

Oh."

Jesse smiled as he sang and played for Aubrey, pouring his heart out to her. This was his favorite song by Maroon 5, and somehow it seemed to fit this situation perfectly.

"I know where you hide alone in your car,

Know all of the things that make you who you are.

I know that goodbye means nothing at all;

Comes back and makes me catch her every time she falls.

Yeah, tap on my window, knock on my door,

I want to make you feel beautiful.

I don't mind spending everyday  
Out on your corner in the pouring rain.  
Look for the girl with the broken smile,

Ask her if she wants to stay awhile.

And she will be loved,

And she will be loved,

And she will be loved,

And she will be loved.

Please don't try so hard to say goodbye.

I don't mind spending everyday

Out on your corner in the pouring rain.

Please don't try so hard to say goodbye."

After finishing the song, Jesse looked up at Aubrey with a sheepish grin on his face. "Hopefully the song said everything I wanted it to?"

Aubrey answered Jesse by pulling him into a soft but deep kiss, one that she'd wanted to give him for a long time. "You have no idea how long I've been wanting to hear you say those words. Well, sing them in this case."

Jesse chuckled at Aubrey's words. "So that means that if I asked you out on a date, you'd say yes?"

"Yeah, I would say yes. Do you want to ask me out?" Aubrey asked, smiling at Jesse and then biting her lip in a cute manner.

"I do, and I'm going to," Jesse said, smiling back at Aubrey. "Aubrey Posen, will you do me the honor of going on a date with me?" He asked.

"Jesse Swanson, I would love to go out on a date with you," Aubrey said, smiling and giggling at how adorable Jesse was being.

"Awesome," Jesse said, the grin on his face growing impossibly wider. "Is there anything in particular that you'd like to do on our date?"

"You seem to know how to make grand gestures, so I know whatever you plan for our date will be amazing," Aubrey stated, smiling and biting her lip as Jesse put his arm around her shoulder.

"Well then, I better start planning this date as soon as possible so that I make sure I live up to your expectations," Jesse replied with a chuckle.

"You will. I know you will," Aubrey told him. The blonde then smiled and kissed his cheek. "Wanna go make out in the guest room?"

"If you insist, then I guess we can," Jesse said, smiling and feeling his cheek heat up where Aubrey had kissed him.

Aubrey then took his hand and the two ran downstairs quickly and quietly, going to the guest room. "Come on," she said, sneaking them inside.

Jesse chuckled as Aubrey pushed him inside the room and closed the door behind them. "Someone's really looking forward to this makeout session, huh?" He commented.

"Aren't you?" Aubrey asked, smirking and and biting her lip as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I never said that I wasn't," Jesse replied, placing his hands on Aubrey's hips and gazing into her eyes.

The blonde then leaned in and kissed the boy on the lips, gently running her hands through his short brown hair. The two of them had made out drunkenly at a party before, but that was it. This was their first sober kiss.

"Mmm," Jesse hummed softly as they kissed, cherishing the feeling of Aubrey's lips on his. "How are you such a good kisser?" He muttered, wrapping his arms around Aubrey's waist as they continued to kiss.

Aubrey's fingers curled in his hair and she kissed his lips fiercely before pulling away for a moment. "I guess I just know what you like," she mumbled before reconnecting their lips.

"You do know what I like, and I think that I have a pretty good idea of what you like," Jesse mumbled back, gently tugging at Aubrey's bottom lip with his teeth.

"Why don't you show me what you think I like?" Aubrey whispered, holding Jesse close. "We don't have to go too far."

"Okay," Jesse said, taking her hand and bringing her over to the bed. "I don't want to go too far either, but I would like to show you what I think you like."

"Then go ahead," Aubrey said, smiling and laying down on the bed. "I can't wait to see what you can do." Jesse smirked and lay down next to Aubrey, pulling her close and connecting their lips in a passionate kiss.

Upstairs, Stacie and Cynthia Rose were talking in the living room. "What do you think about Beca and Allison?" The tall brunette asked, taking a sip of her drink after she finished speaking.

"I honestly don't think it's the best idea. Casual sex always ends badly in my opinion. My older brother was in a similar situation and ended up getting his heart broken while breaking the heart of a girl who was in love with him," Cynthia Rose said, crossing her arms after taking a sip of her drink. "Someone always ends up getting hurt," she added as she leaned against the back of the couch. "What do you think?"

Stacie nodded her head. "I agree with you. It might start out well, but things always seem to end badly in these situations," she commented.

"Let's just hope that they're smart enough to end things before someone gets hurt." Cynthia Rose said, sighing and sipping her drink.

 **Well, well, well. Looks like Chloe really has it bad for Beca, but our resident badass is now screwing her ex girlfriend. How do you think Chloe will handle it? Will she take Aubrey's advice and try to stay away from Beca? Or will she just try to keep her feelings inside.**

 **Plus, it looks like there may be some complications with Chicago and Chloe as well. Is Chicago going to tell her the truth about taking the Georgia scholarship or will Chloe have to find out in a way that will definitely cause some friction?**

 **Stay tuned to find out.**

 **Until next time!**


	19. Chapter 19: Wake Up Call

Chapter 19: Wake Up Call

"Shit!" Allison cursed as she came down from her high. Her chest was heaving and her skin had a thin layer of sweat sticking to it. "Fuck, Beca. You certainly know what you're doing," she said, chuckling breathlessly as Beca came out from under the covers of Allison's bed and lay next to the girl, covering her body with the blanket.

"So I've been told," Beca said, smirking and tucking her hair back. "You're pretty damn good yourself."

Allison closed her eyes and sighed with content. "This never gets old," the blonde murmured, rolling onto her side so she was facing Beca.

"I have to agree. This has gotten better each time," Beca said, smacking her lips together and running her tongue over them. "You taste really good, by the way. Like, really really good. I don't think I've enjoyed going down on anyone more," she said, turning to face Allison and smirking at her.

"I'm glad that I taste good," Allison said, smiling and gazing into Beca's eyes. "You're so good, Beca. I don't understand how you're so good. Nobody else that I've had sex with is anywhere near as good as you are."

"Thanks," Beca said, smiling and shrugging her shoulders. "I guess I kinda know what girls enjoy because I'm a girl and I've slept with a lot of girls." The brunette then tucked her hair back. "When did you lose your virginity? And who was it to?"

"I was sixteen when I lost my virginity, so it wasn't that long ago. I lost it to this random girl that I met at a party," Allison answered. "I haven't seen her since that party, but I'm not hung up on her, so that's good."

"I lost it on my fifteenth birthday to Olivia, my ex-girlfriend. I honestly wish that I had saved myself for someone who was faithful to me. Not even six months later, I caught her fucking some guy when she had said she was 'sick.' I went to her house to give her some soup and that's when I caught her. I'd never been more humiliated in my life," Beca said, chuckling and shaking her head. "I'm way over it though, I have been for awhile now."

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that, Becs. That must have been awful," Allison said, taking one of Beca's hands in her own and squeezing it gently.

"Honestly, I'm completely over what happened between Olivia and I. It's ancient history," Beca said with a genuine tone before running her hand along Allison's bare curves. "You up for another round?"

"I'm up for another round if you are," Allison replied, smirking at the brunette laying beside her and biting her lip.

Beca sat up and then started running her fingers up and down the blonde girl's inner thigh. "How much time do we have before your parents are home?" She asked, leaning in and kissing down Allison's front, sucking softly on her breasts before continuing to go south.

"We probably have another hour or so before they get home, maybe even two," Allison murmured, closing her eyes and pushing Beca's head down closer to her skin.

"Perfect," Beca mumbled against Allison's skin before spreading the blonde's legs using her arms that were strong from basketball. A smirk tugged at her lips when Allison moaned as Beca kissed down her abs, licking back up her stomach and chest a couple times.

"Fuck, Beca," Allison groaned, biting down on her lip and trying not to moan. The brunette was making this very hard, however, and she made a trail of hickeys across the blonde's stomach, starting on one side and moving to the other without leaving an inch of skin untouched.

"That's what I like to hear," Beca whispered, moving down to kiss up and down her thighs while her hands paid attention to Allison's breasts. "Moan for me, Ali."

Allison couldn't resist it any longer and a soft moan fell from her lips. The blonde moaned again a few moments later, this time saying Beca's name as she did so. "Fucking hell, Becs," she whimpered softly, leaning her head back against the pillows of her bed.

"You're really fucking hot when you moan and swear at the same time, did you know that?" Beca said, now sucking on the girl's inner thighs.

"Actually, I didn't know that. Nobody's ever told me that before," Allison mentioned, moaning louder as she watched Beca's lips go lower.

About an hour or so later, Beca was pulling into the driveway of her home. Chloe saw her from the front window and then went outside to greet her. "Hey, Beca!" She called out, smiling and waving as the brunette as she got out of her car.

Beca turned her head and smiled when she saw Chloe waving at her. "Hey, Chlo," she said, waving back at the redhead. "What's up?" She asked.

"Nothing, really. I just saw you pull up and I wanted to say hi," Chloe said with a nervous chuckle, mentally facepalming herself. "Umm, how's your day been?" The redhead asked as the brunette walked over to her.

"My day's been pretty good. How has your day been?" Beca replied, walking over to Chloe and then sitting down with her on the front steps of her porch.

"It's been alright, I guess," Chloe said, pausing to take a deep breath before speaking again. "I got my Juilliard letter today, but I'm too scared to open it." A little over a month had passed since Chloe had auditioned for Juilliard, and she had been anxiously awaiting her letter from them, hoping that she had gotten in. "They only accept thirty students every year out of nearly ten thousand applicants."

"Wow. You'd think that they'd accept at least a hundred people considering how many people applied. No wonder Juilliard is one of the hardest schools to get into," Beca said, chuckling in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Chloe smiled softly at Beca's words. "I was actually waiting for you to get home because I wanted a close friend to be here when I opened it," she said, taking another deep breath. "Will you come inside and open it with me? Having you there will calm my nerves a little."

"Yeah, of course," Beca said, standing up and following Chloe to the door. "But why me? Why not have Chicago here with you when you open the letter?" The brunette asked curiously.

"You were the one who helped me prepare for this and you were there to support me at the audition," Chloe said, opening the door and then walking inside her house. "It wouldn't feel right to open it without you."

Beca closed the door behind them and walked with Chloe into the dining room, where the letter was sitting on the table. There was a moment of silence between the two as they both looked at the letter. Then, Beca turned to Chloe and said with a chuckle, "Well, are you gonna open it?"

Chloe sat there for a moment, taking deep breaths over and over again to calm herself. "This is it, Beca. This is one of those crossroad moments in life. This letter will determine whether I go left or right, you know? It's my entire future," she said, trying to stay calm. "I'm scared shitless right now, Becs."

"And you have every right to be, Chlo. This is a big moment," Beca said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder. "But prolonging it any longer won't do any good. You might as well just open the letter now and get it over with," she added.

As much as she wanted to argue, Chloe knew that Beca was right. Putting it off wouldn't make things easier. It was time to find out what her future was. Chloe took a deep breath and then picked the envelope off of the table before opening it up. She then took out the letter with her hands shaking, scared to see what was on the other side of it. Her heart was racing, but having Beca there was keeping it from beating out of her chest.

Chloe then unfolded the letter and began to read it silently. Tears began to form in her eyes and her hands began to shake due to overwhelming emotions. Then, after a deep breath, she said the three words that she had always dreamed of saying: "I got in."

"Wait, what?" Beca blinked a couple times, not sure if she had heard Chloe correctly. "You got in?" The brunette asked, a smile spreading across her face as she said those words.

The redhead nodded, feeling tears of joy begin to stream down her cheek. "I got in. They're giving me a full ride scholarship too," Chloe said, covering her mouth and crying happily.

Beca's smile grew even wider and she hugged Chloe tightly, feeling tears of joy prick at her eyes. "I'm so proud of you, Chlo. I'm so, so proud. Nobody deserves this more than you do." She then picked the redhead and swung her around in her arms, making the girl smile and giggle.

"I don't even know how to respond to this," Chloe said as Beca twirled her around. When Beca set her back on the ground, Chloe reread the letter, her smile growing wider and more tears falling. She then saw that the brunette had tears in her eyes as well. "Are you crying?" The redhead asked, chuckling as a couple more tears fell down her cheeks.

"Me? Crying? No way," Beca said, chuckling along with Chloe. "Badasses like me never cry. I will admit that I have tears in my eyes, but I'm not crying."

Chloe couldn't help but laugh as she looked at the letter and then back at Beca. "I got in, Beca. I'm going to New York City. I'm going to Juilliard," Chloe said with a smile, letting everything sink in as she spoke.

"I'm so happy for you, Chlo. You're going to New York City and you're going to live out your dream of attending Juilliard," Beca said, smiling back at Chloe.

The two girls then went into Chloe's kitchen, leaning back against the counter while standing next to each other. The redhead wrapped her arms around the brunette, resting her head on the other girl's shoulder and her face in the crook of her neck. Chloe didn't care that she could smell Allison's perfume on Beca's skin; all she cared about at the moment was being in Beca's arms.

Beca smiled softly and leaned her head against Chloe's. "I really am happy for you," the brunette whispered quietly, turning her head so she could look into the redhead's eyes. "You're going to do big things, Chloe. I just know it."

Chloe wanted to lean in and kiss Beca after she said that, but she held herself back. For a moment, the two girls just looked into each other's eyes, nothing else occupying their minds. Midnight sky gazed down upon crystal blue oasis. "So will you, Beca. You're going to change the world with your music."

The smile on Beca's face faltered a little when Chloe said those words. "I wouldn't bank on that," she said softly, looking away from the redhead and sighing softly.

"What do you mean by that?" Chloe said, furrowing her eyebrows. "Beca, you're the most talented person I know."

"Just because I can sing and play a few instruments doesn't mean I'm gonna make it in LA," Beca said, still avoiding eye contact with Chloe.

"Beca, do you realize how many people listen to your songs? Your band isn't just local anymore. At Christmas, I burned a couple copies of the CD's you gave me so my family could hear the songs you wrote," Chloe said, trying to get Beca to look at her. "Beca, they loved it. Your music speaks to people. It's some of the best music I've ever heard in my entire life, and it needs to be heard by the rest of the world. I have no doubt in my mind that you will make it in LA," she stated confidently, pausing for a moment before continuing. "Whenever I'm having a rough day, I put my headphones on and listen to your songs, and I guarantee that our friends do that too. Beca, you are without a doubt the most gifted person I know, and I know that one day I'll be watching you win Grammys. And when that day comes, I'll be able to say: 'Hey, that's my best friend up there.'"

There was a moment of silence between the two of them, the only noise being the sound of their breathing. "Don't ever try to sell yourself short of what you really deserve," Chloe said, finally smiling when Beca looked into her eyes.

Beca smiled softly at Chloe's words. "Thanks," she said shyly, feeling her cheeks start to heat up a little. "I just...I really hope that I make it in LA. I've been working for this my whole life, and I don't know what I'll do if my work doesn't pay off."

"It will, Beca," Chloe said as soon as the brunette stopped talking. "I know your work will pay off. You just have to believe in yourself like everyone else does. Jesse does, Benji does, Chicago does, your mother does. Somewhere deep down, your father does too." She then paused and looked down for a moment, hiding her blush as she leaned her back against the kitchen counter. She put her hands on the countertop before she spoke again. "I believe in you."

Beca's smile grew at Chloe's last sentence, and she looked down so that the redhead didn't see that she was blushing even more now. "Thanks," she said in the same shy voice she had used before. "I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer or anything. It's just that I don't want to fail at my dream. I don't want to fail and give my dad the perfect opportunity to lecture me on how he was right and I was wrong."

Chloe then sat down in one of the kitchen stools, Beca sitting down in the one next to her. "Don't be afraid to take a shot, Beca," Chloe stated, reaching forward and taking Beca's hand. "Broken dreams aren't the ones that break us; the dreams we didn't dare to dream are. You can make it, Beca. If only you could see yourself the way I see you."

Beca raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" She asked curiously. "How do you see me?"

"I told you, Beca. You're the most talented person I know, and I look up to you," Chloe said genuinely, a kind look in her eyes. "You've managed to juggle school, work, and taking care of Henry and Hailee while still managing to be the star of the basketball team. You also can't forget the fact that you write incredible music on top of of all of that, and you've managed to have a social life as well," Chloe said, taking a breath after she finished her little speech. "Like I said, you're the most talented person that I know."

"I guess I do actually do a lot, huh?" Beca said with a chuckle. "I didn't realize how many things I actually do until you said that. And while juggling everything is hard sometimes, I wouldn't change my life for anything in the world."

Chloe smiled and then tucked her hair back behind her ear, leaning back in her stool. "Yeah, you have a pretty good life," Chloe said, sighing softly so Beca wouldn't notice. The redhead had tried staying away from Beca like Aubrey had advised her to do, but not being around the brunette only made her more miserable. Chloe decided that she would try to hide her feelings and not act on them, even though she knew it would be very difficult. "I know you can make it in LA, Beca. I can feel it in my bones."

"Thank you for believing in me, Chlo. It really means a lot," Beca said, gazing into the redhead's eyes. "Your support helps me believe in myself, and I'm really grateful for that."

"What are friends for if not to support you and your dreams?" Chloe asked, noticing the way Beca was looking at her. She slowly lifted her head and looked into Beca's eyes, getting lost in them for what seemed like the thousandth time. The redhead noticed Beca's gaze flicker down to her lips and then back up to her eyes a couple of times, and she couldn't help but do the same.

Beca continued to gaze into Chloe's eyes, looking down at the redhead's lips every so often. "Yeah, you're right," the brunette whispered softly, still gazing into Chloe's eyes as she spoke.

Chloe blushed for a moment, and looked away from Beca for a moment so she wouldn't notice. Something that did surprise her though was when she felt Beca's hand turn her head so they were facing each other again. Just one touch from Beca, and Chloe's heart was racing.

The two girls made eye contact once again, and Beca felt herself start to lean forward. She stopped herself once she realized what she was doing, but she couldn't help but start to lean forward again and close the distance between them.

As this was happening, Chloe knew what she was about to do was completely off limits. This didn't stop her from doing the same as Beca, so she started to close her half of the gap. She felt her heart skip a beat when she felt Beca's hand on her waist while the other rested on her right cheek.

Beca looked up from Chloe's lips to her eyes and froze when she saw that the redhead was leaning in too. _Is she really leaning in? She can't be leaning in. Why would she be doing that?_ Beca thought in her head.

Their lips were less an inch apart when the front door opened, making them jump apart from each other. "Chloe, I'm home! Can you come and help me with the groceries?" The redhead's mother called out.

"Yeah, Mom. Let me get some shoes on," Chloe said before looking at Beca, who nodded and got up to help as well. Part of her was happy that her mother had opened the door before the kiss could happen because she would never have been able to forgive herself for being unfaithful to Chicago. Even if it was something as simple as a kiss, Chloe knew she would have regretted her decision. But on the other hand, she had never wanted to taste someone's lips so much. While she knew she would have regretted it, she couldn't help but wish her mother hadn't walked in.

"Thank you, sweetie. There's some more stuff in the trunk of my car," Cindy said, smiling and handing some grocery bags to Chloe. The woman then noticed Beca standing there. "Beca! I didn't know that you'd be here. It's nice to see you again!"

"It's great to see you too, Mrs. Beale. Chloe and I were just hanging out," Beca said, trying to fathom what had happened a few moments ago. She then took some grocery bags from Chloe's mother and went into the kitchen to set them on the counter.

"Well, I'm glad you're here, Beca. We always enjoy having your company," Cindy replied, smiling at both her daughter and the brunette.

"Chloe had me over because her Juilliard letter came in the mail and she wanted me here when she opened it," Beca explained, smiling and then nudging the redhead as if to tell her to share the news with her mom.

"What did it say, sweetie? Did you get in?" Cindy asked with a hopeful look on her face.

Chloe smiled at her mom and nodded her head, feeling happy tears well up in her eyes again. "I got in, Mom. I got accepted into Juilliard."

Cindy smiled and then opened her arms to give her daughter a hug. "I'm so proud of you, darling. I had no doubt in my mind that you would get in."

"I'm so happy, Mom," Chloe said, hugging her mother tightly and letting her happy tears fall down her face. "It still hasn't set in, that's how happy I am."

"We have to call your father tonight to tell him the news," Cindy said before hugging her daughter again. She then turned to Beca. "Beca, would you like to stay for dinner and celebrate with us?"

"I would love to, as long as it's not too much of an inconvenience," Beca replied, smiling at Cindy. "Thank you for the offer, Mrs. Beale. I really appreciate it."

"Chloe told me how much you helped her with her audition. Thank you for that," Cindy said as she walked over to the fridge. "We would love to have you stay. Chloe, you should call Chicago and tell him the good news."

"I'll do that in a little while," Chloe said, handing a bag of apples to her mother so she could put them in the fridge. "When is Dad coming home?" She asked.

"He'll be back tomorrow and we can go out for a celebratory dinner tomorrow night," Cindy said as she put the apples and the milk in the fridge. "Does that sound good?"

"That sounds great," Chloe said with a smile. After she finished helping her mom put the groceries away, the redhead grabbed her phone. "I'm gonna go call Dad and tell him the news."

Beca watched Chloe walk out of the kitchen before helping Cindy finish putting the groceries away. She couldn't help but think about their almost kiss that had happened not even ten minutes ago. So many thoughts were circulating in Beca's brain as she tried to process whole thing. _Did she want to kiss me too? If so, why? She has a boyfriend. Why would she want to kiss me? Chloe's not even gay. At least, I don't think she is._

A few minutes later, Chloe came back into the kitchen with a big smile on her face. "I still can't believe I got into Juilliard. This is a dream come true," the redhead said happily.

"You deserve it, Chlo," Beca said, smiling at the redhead. "Your mother and I both know that you're going to crush it up in The Big Apple."

"And you're going to crush it down in The City of Angels," Chloe said, smiling back at the brunette. "You're going to do amazing things in LA, Becs. We all believe in you."

Beca did her best to keep the blush from creeping up on her face, but it was no use: Chloe just knew the right things to say in order to make the brunette turn as red as a rose. "Thanks," she said, smiling softly.

"I second Chloe's statement," Cindy said with a smile. "You're an incredible musician, Beca. I don't know if Chloe has told you or not, but she gave me a CD of your music to listen to and I absolutely loved it."

"Wow, uh, thank you," Beca said, blushing even more. "I've kinda fallen in love with writing music over the years, so I'm glad people enjoy it when they listen to it."

"You're amazingly talented when it comes to writing music, that's for sure," Cindy stated. "The lyrics of your songs flow together like poetry," the older woman added.

"That's very kind of you to say, Mrs. Beale," Beca said before getting herself a glass of water. She smiled at Chloe, who was sitting on one of the stools again. "You're daughter has been really supportive of my dream. In fact she's the one who's always assuring me that I can make it."

"I'm just doing my job. As your friend, I'm always going to be here for you when you need me," Chloe said, smiling and shrugging her shoulders in a cute way.

"Well, thank you. I'll make sure to call you from LA if I'm having a crisis," Beca replied, making the other two in the room laugh.

"And I'll call you from New York if I'm having a crisis," Chloe said, laughing more after she finished speaking. "I'm gonna go call Chic and tell him the news." Chloe then took out her phone and left the room again.

Beca smiled as she watched her friend leave the room. "Your daughter is something else, Mrs. Beale," she said.

"Isn't she? I couldn't be more proud of my Chloe," Cindy said with a wide smile. "I'm so happy for her. She's wanted to go to Juilliard ever since she could play the piano."

"Yeah, she's mentioned that a few times," Beca said, helping Chloe's mother by chopping up some peppers for the salad. "She amazes me everyday with how talented she is."

"And you do the same for her. She talks about how talented you are at least five times a day," Cindy said with a chuckle.

"Really? She talks about me?" Beca asked, a little surprised by Cindy's words. "What exactly does she say?"

"I mean, I don't remember exactly what she says every time, but she always talks about how your talent and skill never fails to impress her. She really believes in you, Beca," Cindy answered. "And I think she has a major talent crush on you," the older woman added.

This comment made Beca blush so much that she had to turn away so Cindy didn't see her blushing. "That's nice to know," Beca said, still feeling the heat of the blush on her cheeks.

Chloe came back into the kitchen while Beca was washing her hands in the sink. "I invited Chicago over for dinner too. I hope that's okay with you," the redhead said to both her mother and Beca.

"Of course, sweetie. The more the merrier," Cindy said, kissing the top of her daughter's head before getting out the ingredients for make spaghetti and meatballs, Chloe's favorite meal.

"Is there anything you need help with, Mrs. Beale?" Beca asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"I'm actually good for now. Why don't you girls go hang out for a little while and I'll call you in when dinner's ready?" Cindy said as she molded the meatballs in her hands.

Chloe then took Beca's hand. "Come on, let's go sit out back," she stated, leading Beca out to the back porch.

The two girls each sat down in a chair once they got to the back porch. "So, when's Chicago gonna get here?" Beca asked.

"He just got off work at Lowe's, so he'll be here in about thirty minutes," Chloe said, leaning back in her chair. For a moment, there was silence between the two girls, tension rising from the moment that they had earlier.

Beca nodded her head and then tilted her head up to look at the sky. "National Signing Day is next week. Is he excited?"

"Yeah. He's signing with New York," Chloe said, smiling as she thought about her and Chicago being together in New York City. Despite the fact that the redhead was seriously crushing on Beca, she still was more than happy with Chicago, and her heart became even happier when she found out that he was committing to NYU.

"Good for him. NYU is a good school with a good football program. I'm sure that he'll fit right in there," Beca said, looking over at Chloe. "And I'm happy that you two are gonna be in New York together. I bet you're happy about that too."

"You have no idea how happy I am," Chloe said, sighing with a bright smile on her face―the smile Beca fell so in love with.

Beca couldn't help but smile when Chloe did, and the brunette looked down at the floor of the porch. "How far away is Juilliard from NYU? I imagine that it's gotta be pretty close," she said.

"It's about five miles away, so not too far," Chloe said, scratching her head as she thought about it. "Being so close to him will be nice."

"Yeah, I bet. You guys will hang out more than you already do now," Beca replied with a chuckle. She then looked down at the wooden floor of the deck for a moment. "You know, I'm really going to miss you when you go off to New York," she said, sighing softly.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Becs," Chloe said in a soft voice. "Even though we haven't known each other for a long time, you're one of my best friends, and I'm gonna miss seeing you every day."

Beca smiled and watched Chloe as she looked up at the sky. She then heard Chicago in the kitchen. "It sounds like your man is here," she said, standing up and holding the door for Chloe. "He'll probably want to congratulate you in person."

"Yeah, you're right," Chloe said, standing up and walking back inside the house. She smiled when she saw Chicago holding a bouquet of roses. "Are those for me?" She asked with a cute giggle before giving her boyfriend a hug.

"I figured you getting into Juilliard was the perfect occasion to buy you roses, since they throw them onstage when someone's performance is beyond amazing," Chicago said before hugging her and then kissing her cheek.

"Thanks, Chic. These are beautiful," Chloe said, blushing when Chicago kissed her cheek. "I'm so happy that we're gonna be in New York together."

Beca noticed Chicago hesitate for a moment before he spoke. "Yes, we're going to be in New York together, and I can't wait," Chicago said with a smile before he turned to Mrs. Beale. "Is there anything I can do to help?" He asked.

"Sure, Chicago. Why don't you set the table for the four of us?" Cindy said, smiling as she pushed the dough through the noodle maker.

"Awesome. I'll go wash my hands first," Chicago said before heading out of the kitchen.

"I'll do the same," Beca said as she followed Chicago out of the kitchen. However, that wasn't the only reason she followed him. Something seemed off about Chicago, and she was going to find out.

The brunette followed her friend to the bathroom and waited outside while he washed his hands. When he came out, Beca stopped him. "Hey, is everything okay? You seem a little out of it."

"What do you mean?" Chicago asked, trying to play it off like nothing was wrong. "I'm feeling great right now. My girlfriend just got into her dream school, and we're heading to New York together."

Beca shrugged her shoulders. "You were just acting weird when Chloe talked about you two going to New York together, that's all."

Chicago sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep this from Beca. The brunette had a knack for knowing when someone was lying. "I got a full ride scholarship offer from the University of Georgia."

"Really? That's great, Chic! When did you find out?" Beca asked, a big smile on her face.

The boy nodded and smiled for a moment. "It's my dream school, Beca. It's been my dream to play for them since I was little," he stated, sighing for a moment. "I picked them over NYU. I'm committing to Georgie next Thursday."

"Wait, what?" Beca asked, raising her eyebrows in confusion. "If you're committing to Georgia, then why does Chloe think you're committing to NYU?"

"Before the offer from Georgia came, I decided on NYU. That's what I told Chloe, because it was the truth at the time. But then, the offer from Georgia came, and it's too good of an offer to pass up. I haven't figured out how I'm going to tell Chloe," Chicago said, scratching his head. "I'm scared to tell her because has her heart set on us both being in New York and she doesn't want to do long distance because it'd be too hard."

"You still have to tell her, Chic. You can't keep this from her forever. The longer you wait to tell her, the more upset she'll be when you actually do," Beca told him.

"You have no idea how many times I've tried to tell her," Chicago said, sighing and shaking his head. "The worst part is that I know no matter when or how I tell her, I'm going to break her heart."

"By telling her that you're going to New York with her, you're only digging yourself a deeper hole," Beca said, running her fingers through her hair. "You need to tell her soon, Chic. You might be able to change her mind about long distance relationships."

The young man knew Beca was right; he just didn't know how he was going to tell Chloe without hurting her. "You're right, I'll tell her," he said before taking a deep breath.

"Good, because Chloe deserves to know the truth," Beca said, watching Chicago walk back into the kitchen. Beca then went into the bathroom and washed her hands before going to help set the table. Many thoughts were racing through her mind; she wasn't just thinking about the almost kiss, but also about what was going to happen when Chicago was going to tell Chloe that he would be signing with Georgia instead of NYU.

 **Okay, there were some serious Bechloe vibes in this chapter. What about that moment, huh?**

 **We know a lot of you are disappointed at the fact that Beca and Allison are hooking up. But trust me, we've had this planned since we started writing it and we have a plan for the rest of the story as well, we aren't just making it up as we go along.**

 **Will Chicago tell Chloe about Georgia? Stay tuned to find out.**

 **Until next time!**


	20. Chapter 20: Signing Day

Chapter 20: Signing Day

"Tomorrow's the big day. How are you feeling?" Beca asked as she took a bite of the sandwich she was having for lunch. National Signing Day was tomorrow, and everyone was eager to find out which school Chicago would commit to. By the end of the season, he had become one of the top prospects in the country. To recognize this, the school was holding a special assembly for him and all the other student athletes that were signing.

"Pretty good, although I am nervous," Chicago said, taking a deep breath. "I'm excited too, of course. It's not very often that you get an offer from your dream," he stated with a smile. "Four other seniors are signing tomorrow. Two are going to Oregon, one is going to Michigan State, and one is going to Colorado. Then there's me, who's going to Georgia."

"I'm happy for you, Chic. You've worked so hard for this, and you deserve it," Beca replied, smiling at her best friend. She then spoke again a few moments later. "Have you told Chloe yet?" She asked.

Chicago's smile faded when Beca said those words. The boy shook his head. "She's been in New York all week touring Juilliard, and I want to tell her face-to-face," he said, scratching his head and taking a sip of his water.

"Chicago! Signing Day is tomorrow! Why did you put it off for so long?" Beca said, sighing as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"I know, okay? I'm a fucking idiot for waiting so long. I just haven't found the right way to say it," Chicago said, putting his head in his hands. "I've tried to tell her so many times, but the words always get stuck in my throat."

"You need to tell her soon, Chicago. You can't wait any longer. Honestly, I'd call her today and tell her. Waiting until tomorrow to tell her is not a good idea," Beca said.

"Yeah, I'll call her," Chicago said, nodding and taking a deep breath. He took a bite of one of his carrots and then took a sip of his water.

Later that day, Beca was getting home from an away game in which the Hartford Hawks defeated the Greenbelt Grizzlies. She saw Chloe's family unloading their car in their driveway as she pulled into her own. "Hey Mr. and Mrs. Beale! Hey Chloe!" She said as she got out of her car. "How was New York?"

"Hey Beca!" Chloe said, smiling and then walking over to give the brunette a hug. "New York was great! There's so many fun things to do there. I can't wait to go to Juilliard!" The redhead exclaimed.

"Well, you'll have to tell me all about it once I take a shower. I just got back from an away game and I don't smell very good, although you probably already knew that since you just hugged me," Beca said with a chuckle.

Chloe laughed along with Beca. "I have some unpacking to do anyways. Text me when you're done with your shower and then I'll come over, okay?"

"Alright, I will," Beca said before grabbing her basketball bag from the back seat of her car. "It's nice to see you, Mr. and Mrs. Beale," she said, waving at Chloe's parents before walking up the stairs of her porch and into her house.

About an hour later, Beca had finished her shower and made dinner for Henry, Hailee, and herself since both of their parents were away. "Alright guys, your dinner is ready! Come and get it, you little rascals!" She called out, setting their plates on the table. As the two twins came running in to get their food, Beca took out her phone and texted Chloe.

 **Beca:** Hey, I'm all clean now. Come on over!

A few minutes later, the brunette's phone buzzed with a reply from Chloe.

 **Chloe:** Okay! I'll be over in five :)

Beca smiled as she read the text and then put her phone in her pocket, getting up and walking to the front door so she could open it when Chloe arrived. She knew that the redhead was definitely more than capable of opening a door, but Beca just wanted to be at the door when she got there.

"Hey Chlo!" Beca said, smiling as the redhead made her way up the steps. "The twins and I are having breakfast for dinner. Would you like to join us? It's pancakes, bacon, and some delicious scrambled eggs. Everything is made with love, of course," Beca told her as she held the door open for her.

"I would love to join you guys," Chloe said with a smile. "And breakfast for dinner sounds delicious," the redhead added as she walked inside the house. She went into the dining room and smiled when she saw Henry and Hailee. "Hey you two! It's been awhile since I've seen you guys. Do you remember me?"

Hailee got up and ran over to give Chloe the biggest hug she could give. "Chloe!" She said, hugging the girl tightly. Henry came over and did the same as his twin sister.

"Of course they remember you. They keep asking for me to have you over," Beca said with a smile. "It's gotten to the point where I think they like you more than me," the brunette added, chuckling a little.

"Awe, that's so sweet," Chloe said, smiling as she hugged the twins. "I've really missed you little ones a lot. It seems like you both have grown a lot since the last time I saw you."

"We're gonna be six soon!" Henry said, smiling and showing her six fingers with his hands.

"Really? I'm gonna be eighteen soon," Chloe said with a smile. The four then sat down at the table, and Chloe took a bite of the scrambled eggs on her plate.

"Wait, you're not eighteen already?" Beca asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

Chloe shook her head. "Nope, I'm still seventeen," she said, chuckling at the expression on Beca's face. "Why are you making that face?"

"It's just that you've never told me when your birthday is, so I just assumed that you were eighteen already," Beca said, smiling as she ate one of her pieces of bacon.

"Well, I guess you learn something new everyday," Chloe replied, smiling and taking another bite of scrambled eggs.

"I guess you do," Beca said, smiling as they continued eating their food.

Afterwards, Chloe was helping Beca get Henry and Hailee to bed. "Did you two brush your teeth?" Beca asked as the two kids came running from the bathroom. She made sure their beds were ready and had set out some pajamas for them as well.

"Yeah!" Henry and Hailee said, running into their room and grabbing their pajamas. The two then turned around and ran back to the bathroom. Beca chuckled as she watched this and shook her head at how adorable they were.

"Those little rascals are too cute," Chloe said, sitting next to Beca on Hailee's bed as they waited for the two kids to get back. "Your life must not have one dull moment with them around to keep you entertained."

"They definitely keep me entertained, that's for sure," Beca said, chuckling a little more. "You know, we can still hang out after the twins go to bed if you want," the brunette mentioned.

Chloe smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that," she stated as she looked around the room. "Plus, someone needs to keep you company while they're asleep. However, I don't think I'll be as entertaining as they are."

"I'd prefer if you didn't try to entertain me like they do. You running around the house might wake them up, and I don't need all three of you running around the house," Beca joked.

"Maybe we can catch you up on the Harry Potter movies a little more," Chloe suggested. "I saw them in your family's movie cabinet. If I remember correctly we were on the fifth movie," she said.

"We're on the one where that really annoying short lady who wears pink is in the wizard school, so if that's the fifth one, then that's the one we're on," Beca said. "What's it called again? I know it's Harry Potter, but what's the other half of the title?"

" _Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix_ ," Chloe said with a chuckle before the twins came back in their pajamas.

"Yeah, that's it," Beca said, chuckling along with the redhead. She then got up from Hailee's bed so her sister could get under the covers and she could tuck her in. "Alright, Haiz, do you want me to read you a story before you go to sleep?"

The little girl nodded her head and smiled. "Yes please, Beca," she said politely in the sweetest voice possible.

Henry climbed into his bed and Chloe tucked him in. "Are you going help Beca tuck us in every night?" He asked with a curious tone in his voice.

Chloe smiled at the little boy. "Not every night, but sometimes," she answered. The redhead looked over and saw that Beca was reading a story to Hailee. She then turned back to Henry. "Do you want me to read you a story since Beca is reading to Hailee right now?" She asked.

"No, that's okay," Henry said. "Are you and Beca friends?" He asked, making sure to talk quietly while Beca read to Hailee.

Chloe nodded her head. "Yeah, we're friends," she said with a smile. "She's one of my best friends, actually."

"Do you like boys or girls?" Henry asked, looking up at the redhead. "Beca likes girls."

Chloe smiled and chuckled at the little boy's adorable curiosity. "Well, I like boys now, but maybe I'll like girls in the future," she said, looking over at Beca as she said those words.

"Beca talks about you a lot to Mommy and Daddy," Henry said, playing with his teddy bear. "She always says you're her most beautiful friend, and that she 'like, likes' you," he said, making gestures with his fingers.

Chloe smiled and looked down, feeling herself begin to blush. "That's nice of her to say. I think she's beautiful too."

"What does 'like like' mean, Chloe? I don't understand what people mean when they say that," Henry said, scrunching up his face as he said this.

"Well, when you say you like someone, that means that you're friends. When you say that you 'like like' someone, that means you're either more than friends or want to be more than friends," Chloe explained.

"More than friends?" Henry said, even more curious now. "What does that mean?"

"It means that you want to date them and be their boyfriend or girlfriend," Chloe told him with a small smile.

"Beca told me that your boyfriend is her best friend, Chicago," Henry said as he continued to play with his teddy bear.

Beca finished reading Hailee her story and then kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Haiz. I love you," she said before turning to Henry. "Goodnight, Henry. Get some sleep. I love you, buddy," she said, kissing his forehead as well.

Chloe smiled and then wished the twins goodnight before she and Beca left their room. The two girls then went downstairs to the living room to watch _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_. "The twins are so adorable, and I can tell that they both look up to you," Chloe said as she and Beca sat down on the couch.

"They're crazy, but I love them more than anything," Beca said, chuckling as she pushed play. She then got comfortable on the couch. "Are we going to do that thing where we cuddle while watching the movie?" Beca asked, secretly hoping Chloe would say yes.

Chloe shrugged her shoulders. "We can if you want to. Do you want to?" She asked, looking over at the brunette sitting next to her.

"Well, you're really good at cuddling. So yeah, I would like to cuddle with you if that's okay," Beca said, grabbing a blanket for the two of them.

"Of course it's okay," Chloe said, smiling and giggling a little. She then cuddled up to Beca, wrapping her arms around the brunette's waist and leaning her head on her shoulder.

Beca help but notice her heartbeat speeding up a lot when Chloe's arms wrapped around her. The young brunette then wrapped her arm around Chloe's shoulder and pulled her close, resting her other hand on Chloe's leg. "You excited for Chicago's signing tomorrow?"

Chloe smiled and nodded her head. "Of course I am. He's signing with NYU. We're gonna be in New York together. How could I not be excited?" She replied.

The brunette's heart sank when she realized that Chicago still hadn't told Chloe about Georgia. For a moment, Beca considered telling Chloe, but she decided against it because it wasn't her job to do so. So, the brunette played along with it for the time being. "Yeah, I'm excited for him too. It's a really amazing opportunity for him."

"It really is. I'm so happy that we're gonna be in New York together. Long distance relationships are just too hard," Chloe said. She then reached for the TV remote and pressed the play button when the movie's main menu popped up on the screen.

"I agree. Long distance relationships suck," Beca said before pulling the redhead a little closer as the movie started. Beca did enjoy these movies, but her favorite part about them was being able to cuddle with Chloe. "New York is going to be amazing. I'll call you every week so you can tell me about all of your adventures."

"And you can tell me about all of your adventures in LA," Chloe said, smiling and briefly glancing at Beca before turning her attention to the opening credits that were playing on the TV.

"Sounds like a plan," Beca said, turning her attention to the movie as well. The brunette softly traced shapes in Chloe's arm while they cuddled, smiling to herself when she heard the redhead sigh with content. At one point, Beca linked one of her hands with Chloe's and smiled at how perfect their hands fit together.

About halfway through the movie, Chloe had fallen asleep. The redhead usually didn't fall asleep during movies, especially not the Harry Potter movies, but she was pretty exhausted from the traveling she had done that day. Beca smiled when she looked over and saw that Chloe had fallen asleep, her head still resting on her shoulder.

As Beca continued to watch the movie, she placed a gentle kiss on Chloe's cheek, unable to keep the smile off her face. "You're so damn beautiful," she said quietly, knowing the redhead couldn't hear her since she was asleep.

Even though she didn't feel Beca kiss her cheek or hear what she said, Chloe smiled in her sleep. Beca's smile grew even wider when she saw this. "God, you're so cute," the brunette said, chuckling softly and shaking her head. She moved a stray piece of red hair out of Chloe's face, tucking it gently behind her ear. "I'm going to miss you the most when we leave this place," she said softly. "You're the best thing that's happened to this world since the Beatles."

A few moments after Beca finished speaking, the redhead slowly opened her eyes. She sat up and stretched, then looked over and saw that Beca was looking back at her. "How long was I asleep for?" Chloe asked in a tired voice.

"About forty minutes. The movie is almost over," Beca said, smiling at the girl next to her. As Chloe fixed her hair, Beca noticed she had a stray eyelash right underneath her left eye. "You've got a little something there," she said, reaching over and gently wiping it off of Chloe's cheek with her thumb. "Make a wish," she said, holding it up in front of Chloe.

Chloe looked at Beca with a confused look on her face. "Make a wish? People make wishes on eyelashes? That's a thing?"

Now it was Beca's turn to look confused. "You've never made a wish on an eyelash before?" The brunette asked. When the redhead nodded, Beca chuckled. "All you have to do is think of a wish and then blow the eyelash away. It's not that difficult of a process."

"Okay, give me a second to think," Chloe said. Once she thought of her wish, the redhead blew the eyelash away. "Did I do it right?" She asked, giggling a little bit.

"Perfect," Beca stated with a smile. "Don't tell me your wish or else it won't come true," she added before laughing a little bit. She then spoke again a few moments later. "You're adorable, did you know that?"

Chloe shook her head. "No, I didn't know that. What makes me so adorable, if I may ask?"

"Oh, where do I even begin?" Beca said, chuckling and biting her lip as she thought about what to include in her answer. "Whenever something scary happens in a movie, you clutch onto whoever you're sitting next to. When your nervous or confused, you have this distinct giggle that is so damn cute. And, whenever I can get you to sing, you always blush because you don't think you're that good—which is a completely ludacris idea because you have an amazing voice," Beca said, smiling at Chloe before looking down at for a moment. "I could go on and on for hours about what makes you adorable."

Chloe smiled at Beca's words and looked away so the brunette didn't see that she was blushing. "Thank you," she said shyly, still looking down. She then looked back up at Beca before speaking again. "It might surprise you to hear that I could do the same for you. I know for a fact that you're a real softie underneath your badass persona," the redhead replied.

"No, I'm not. I'm a badass," Beca said, crossing her arms and glaring playfully at the girl sitting next to her. "I don't have a cute or adorable side of me. I'm just a straight up sexy badass," she stated, trying to convince Chloe of it. When she noticed Chloe laughing, Beca took a pillow and playfully hit Chloe with it.

"Hey! What was that for?" Chloe said, now laughing even more. She grabbed one of the other pillows and hit Beca with it, smirking at the surprised look on the brunette's face. "You didn't expect that, did you? What goes around comes around, as they say."

"I'm not a softie," Beca stated, playfully glaring at her before turning her attention to the movie. She hugged her pillow close to her body, resting her chin on it. "What are you laughing at?" She asked when she heard Chloe start to giggle.

"You're just trying so hard to prove that you're a badass, and it's not working," Chloe said, barely finishing her sentence before she burst out into laughter. "You're cuddling a pillow, for crying out loud. How is that not soft?"

Beca shook her head and then shrugged. "Maybe I'm cuddling a pillow because it's comfy and I worked my ass off today in my basketball game," she said. "But that doesn't make me a softie."

"You are a softie, though. You rarely show it, but I know that you are somewhere deep down inside of you," Chloe said with a smile. "You just don't want to admit it because I'm right," she added, her smile turning into a smirk.

"I am not," Beca said, shaking her head and chuckling as they watched the movie. "And if you call me one again, I might just have to tickle you until you take it back."

"Oh, I feel so threatened," Chloe said sarcastically, giggling when Beca turned and glared at her.

"You should. Don't underestimate me, Beale," Beca replied, using a serious tone of voice even though she was unable to keep a smile off her face. The two girls began laughing hysterically and then started a full-blown pillow fight.

Beca won easily, knocking Chloe's pillow out of her hand before pinning her down against the couch. "The more you struggle, the more punishment you receive," Beca said, using her strong arms to keep Chloe pinned down on the couch.

"Oh, like you'd really punish me? Your inner softie will prevent you from doing that," Chloe said in a teasing tone as she tried to push Beca off of her.

"Maybe I won't let you cuddle with me for the rest of the movie, and I know for a fact that you wouldn't want that to happen," Beca said, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "So I'd stop struggling, lovely."

Chloe hesitated for a moment. Beca was right in saying that the redhead didn't want their cuddle session to end. But she also knew that the brunette didn't want it to end either. So, the redhead stood her ground. "Actually, I'm perfectly fine with us not cuddling."

"As convincing as that was, I know that's total bullshit," Beca said, laughing and smiling down at the redhead before gazing into those piercing blue eyes. Her smile never left her face, but all noises apart from the movie slowly faded away.

"Why don't you give me the chance to prove that it's not 'total bullshit' then?" Chloe said, making quotation marks in the air with her fingers.

"You really want to have that chance? Because if you do, I can guarantee that in less than five minutes you'll be in my arms again," Beca replied, biting her bottom lip in a way that Chloe found rather sexy.

"We'll see about that, Mitchell. I know that you want to cuddle with me as much as I want to cuddle with you," Chloe said with a smirk. She then sat up and moved to the other side of the couch. "Prepare to be proven wrong," the redhead stated before turning her attention to the movie.

"Fine, but if you lose then you have to give me a lap dance." Beca said in a joking manner before turning her attention back to the movie.

"And if you lose, you have to give me a lap dance. I should say when you lose, though, because you're definitely going to," Chloe stated confidently.

"You're on, Beale," Beca said, chuckling before starting the stopwatch on her phone and then turning her attention to the movie. She really did hope that Chloe would lose the bet because she had never received a lap dance before and knew that the redhead had good moves. Plus, Beca wasn't a very good dancer herself.

Chloe chuckled as well and then shook her head. She was determined to win the bet and prove Beca wrong, so she focused on the movie and did her best not to let her mind wander over to the brunette sitting on the other side of the couch. It was easier said than done, however—the redhead really did wish they were cuddling. While Chicago was good at cuddling, Chloe felt like her body fit perfectly with Beca's when they snuggled together.

It wasn't easy for Beca either; the brunette was constantly checking the stopwatch, looking at it every thirty seconds or so. Three minutes passed, and Beca looked over at Chloe. She really wanted the girl laying in her arms. Only two minutes remained before Chloe won the bet, and Beca bit her lip as she tried to focus on the movie.

Chloe glanced at Beca and smirked when she saw the brunette biting her lip, knowing the effect that she was having on her. The redhead looked back to the TV and did her best to focus on the movie, as she figured that only a couple minutes were left on the stopwatch.

Beca looked over at Chloe, smiling at the girl as she watched the movie, admiring her beauty. When Chloe would start to turn to face her, Beca would quickly look away and focus on the movie. Now, with only one minute left, Beca was growing restless. She wanted to hold Chloe in her arms, and she didn't want to have to give her a lap dance for fear of embarrassing herself.

Chloe knew that the time was almost up because Beca was shifting restlessly on the other side of the couch. The redhead couldn't blame her, for she too was feeling restless. While she wanted to prove Beca wrong, she also longed to be in the brunette's arms again, so the redhead was unable to stop herself from slowly moving over towards the other side of the couch.

The brunette didn't notice that the redhead had gotten closer to her at first, but when she did notice this, she couldn't help but smile at her. Beca then decided to give in as well, meeting Chloe in the middle and pulling her close. She let the other girl rest her head on her chest and then pulled the blanket over them. "I guess we both couldn't stand it, huh?"

"I guess so," Chloe said with a cute little giggle. "So, it's a tie, right?" She asked while looking up and gazing into Beca's midnight blue eyes.

"Yeah," Beca said, tucking some of Chloe's hair away from her face. "Let's call it a tie," she stated with a smile.

The next day was National Signing Day, the day that everyone had been waiting for. Hartford High School was holding a special assembly for their student athletes who were going to play their respective sports at the collegiate level. There were four football players, three men's soccer players, six women's soccer players, two players each for men's and women's basketball, and three players each for baseball and softball that would be signing their National Letters of Intent.

Chicago was standing just outside the gymnasium as people filed in for the assembly. He took a deep breath and smiled. Today was the day he would commit to Georgia, and he couldn't be more excited. While the boy was excited, he was also nervous of what Chloe was going to say when she found out that he was signing with Georgia instead of New York.

"You ready, son?" Chicago turned and smiled when he saw his mom and dad walking towards him.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," he replied, giving them each a hug. "This is one of the biggest days of my athletic career, and my life."

"We're very proud of you, sweetheart," his mom said as she gave him a tight hug, wiping away a couple happy tears afterwards.

"Georgia is going to be an amazing experience for you, son. You're going to do great things there," Mr. Walp said. The family then walked into the gym once they heard the principal begin to speak.

Chloe was sitting next to Beca and Aubrey as they started reading off where each student athlete would be going. "This is so exciting," she said, smiling as she waited for Chicago's name to be called.

There was a pause between the first three football players and Chicago because, due to him being one of the top prospects in the country, some news crews had come to film his decision. Once the cameras were set up, a reporter approached Chicago's table and began to speak.

"So, as you all know, I am standing next to one of the top football prospects in the country," the reporter started. She then turned to Chicago. "What does it feel like to be in the position that you're in?" She asked.

"It's a huge honor to be where I am today. I've gotten so much support from my family, my friends, my girlfriend, my teachers, my teammates, and my coaches. I wouldn't be signing my Letter of Intent today if it weren't for all the amazing people that have helped me along the way," Chicago answered, smiling and waving at his parents as they stood off to the side.

"Well, you certainly have earned a spot in Hartford's Hall of Fame. Your statistics were off the charts this year, and you lead the Hawks to a second straight championship," the reporter said. "Now, it's time for you to answer the million dollar question: where will you be playing football next year?"

Chicago took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. Once he had calmed down, he opened his eyes and answered the question. "This decision was a lot harder than I expected it to be. I received a lot of great offers from a lot of great schools, but at the end of the day, only one school was the right fit for me," he started. The boy paused for a few moments, both to calm himself down again and create suspense. "I'm signing my National Letter of Intent to the University of Georgia."

The crowd of students erupted in applause, cheering for Chicago just like they had for every other student athlete that had committed that day. The head coach from Georgia, Kirby Smart, stood up and made his way to the center of the basketball court and sat with Chicago at the table, holding the Letter of Intent in his hand.

While all the students were cheering for their football captain, Chloe stood there with a blank expression on her face, feeling her stomach flip upside down. _Georgia? That's not right. That can't be right. He told me he was signing with NYU_ , she thought to herself. Chicago had lied to her, and it wasn't just a little white lie—it was one of the biggest lies he could've possibly told.

As Chicago shook hands with his new head coach, photos were taken, which he put on a good smile for. He then took his pen and wrote his signature on the dotted line. Once he had signed the Letter of Intent, Coach Smart gave him a Georgia Bulldogs hat, which he eagerly put on. The young boy then looked at the cheering crowd, the happy smile on his face growing even wider. Once he saw Chloe, however, his smile faded.

 **Shit is about to go down... How will Chloe respond to this while situation? Stay tuned to find out.**

 **Plus, Beca and Chloe seem to be growing closer...**

 **Until next time!**


	21. Chapter 21: Not What You Expected

Chapter 21: Not What You Expected

Chloe's heart sank when she saw Chicago look her way after putting on the Georgia Bulldogs hat. As soon as their eyes met, Chloe wanted to look away from him but was unable to do so. All she could do was look at her boyfriend with disappointment on her face and in her eyes.

As soon as everyone was excused from the gymnasium to go back to class, Chloe made a beeline for the exit. She got out before the rest of the student body and stormed past her locker, not bothering to grab any of her stuff. Chloe just kept on walking, making her way out of the school and towards the student parking lot.

Beca watched the redhead storm out of the gym and then looked at Chicago. When her best friend looked back at her, the brunette just shrugged her shoulders. She wanted to say "I told you so" but decided not to, knowing that wasn't what he wanted to hear. Instead, the brunette went over to him and congratulated him before heading to first period.

Back in the parking lot, Chloe sat in her car debating whether or not to skip school for the rest of the day. _How could he do this? Why would he lie to me?_ She thought, feeling tears well up in her eyes. The young girl instantly wiped them away, not wanting to cry. She just couldn't get over the fact that Chicago had kept something as big as this from her.

A million thoughts were running through Beca's brain as she walked to her first period class. Yes, she was happy for Chicago, but she wasn't happy that he hadn't told Chloe about Georgia even after she had told him numerous times to do so. After seeing the redhead's reaction, the brunette couldn't help but feel a little guilty inside for not telling her the truth. _It wasn't your job to tell her, Beca. Don't blame yourself for this. It's not your fault_ , she told herself.

After the assembly, Chicago was excused for the first half of the school day to do press interviews about his decision to go to Georgia with some of Seattle's local news stations. While he answered the same questions over and over, the boy couldn't help but think about Chloe. He knew he had fucked up big time. _You should've just told her. Now, you've created a whole big mess that could've been avoided if you didn't hide the truth from her_. Chicago sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, trying not to let this ruin his big day.

Chloe had decided to go to her last few classes of the day just so she could get her mind off of what had happened this morning at the assembly. When the final bell rang, the redhead stopped at her locker and put some books away that she wouldn't need until tomorrow. She then began walking quickly towards the exit, wanting to avoid her boyfriend at all costs. Unfortunately, she ran into him as she was walking in the parking lot. "Chloe!" Chicago called out, walking faster so he could catch up to her. However, the redhead started walking faster as well and acted like she hadn't heard him.

The redhead continued to walk, not wanting to look at him or talk to him as she made her way to her car. When she unlocked the doors and threw her stuff in the backseat, Chicago finally caught up to her. "I don't want to talk to you right now, Chic," she said.

"I know that you don't want to talk to me right now, but please give me a chance to explain," Chicago said, practically pleading with the redhead.

"Oh, so now you want to explain everything," Chloe said, shutting the car door and then turning around to face her boyfriend. She crossed her arms and waited for him to start talking. "Well, here's your chance, so explain to me why you didn't tell me about this."

"I'm sorry, Chlo. I tried to tell you so many times, but the words just wouldn't come out," Chicago said, running his fingers through his hair. "I'm really sorry, babe. I didn't mean to keep this from you."

Chloe shook her head, tearing up as Chicago kept apologizing. "The words just wouldn't come out? That's your excuse?" She said, shaking her head as a few tears fell from her cheeks. "That's the lamest fucking excuse I've ever heard."

"But it's true," Chicago said. "I tried to tell you, but I couldn't. Every time I tried, I chickened out because I knew you'd be upset."

"Yeah, you're damn right that I'd be upset," Chloe said, getting angrier by the second. "But you wanna know something, Chic? I would've gotten over it, and we could've worked through it together. But instead I had to watch you sign with some other school when you promised me that you were signing with NYU!" She said, now crying. "You lied to me, Chic. I've always been honest with you. I've told you everything. I've given you all of my heart, and this is what I get in return?"

"I made a mistake, okay? Not telling you about Georgia was one of the stupidest things I've ever done. I'm sorry, Chloe. How many times do I have to say that for you to believe me?" Chicago asked, a hint of frustration in his voice.

"This is the second time that you've hidden some major secret from me, Chic," Chloe stated, crossing her arms. "First, you wouldn't tell me why I wasn't allowed to hang out with Beca. And now, you've lied to me about signing with Georgia," she continued, not caring that people walking by could hear their conversation. "I do believe that you're sorry about not telling me, so you don't have to keep apologizing. But I can't pretend like you didn't lie to me because I've now been lied to multiple times in both of the relationships I've been in."

Chicago looked down at the ground and put his hands in his pockets. "I don't know what else to say. I did mean to tell you about Georgia. I guess I just…" he trailed off, pausing for a few moments before finishing his sentence. "I guess I just didn't want you to break up with me."

For a moment, the two of them stood there in silence, trying to figure out what exactly was happening in that moment. "You knew how sensitive I was after finding out that Tom lied to me, but that didn't stop you from keeping the truth from me, twice." Chloe said, shaking her head. "You know, if you had been honest with me, I would've been open to trying long distance with you. I would've made an effort to try make it work. But now…" Chloe stopped, looking down and wiping more tears as they fell down her cheeks. "Now I look at you and I see someone else. I see a complete stranger."

As Chicago listened to Chloe speak, tears welled up in his eyes and a couple threatened to fall. He quickly blinked them away and cleared his throat. "So this is it? You're just gonna throw our whole relationship away because I made a mistake?" He asked.

"You lying to me about this wasn't a mistake, Chicago. You did this on purpose because you thought it would keep us together longer," Chloe said, shaking her head. "You make a mistake once, not over and over again." She then began to cry even harder as she said her next words. "You broke my heart, Chic, just like Tom did," she stated, looking him dead in the eyes. "We're done."

"Chloe, please don't do this," Chicago said, cupping her face with his hands and looking deeply into her teary eyes. "I promise I won't lie to you again."

"How can I believe you? You broke my trust more than once, Chic. I gave you another chance and you blew it. I can't trust you anymore," Chloe said, avoiding eye contact with Chicago.

"I love you, Chloe. How can you just give up on that? How can you just give up on me?" Chicago asked, now practically begging on his knees. "Do you not love me any-"

"You think I'm doing this because I don't love you anymore?" Chloe asked, pushing him away from her. "I love you so much that it hurts when you're not around," she told him. "I just can't be with someone is keeps things like this from me. I love you, Chic, but I can't do this anymore. It's over. We're done," she said firmly, turning around and getting inside her car. Rain clouds started to move in overhead as the redhead began driving away from Chicago.

Chicago stood there and watched Chloe drive away, overwhelmed by a feeling of numbness. He stood there for quite some time as he tried to comprehend what had just happened. Finally, the boy went to his car and drove home, heading straight to his room without saying a single word once he got there.

Chloe pulled into her driveway and ran into her house as fast as she could. The rain had started pouring down like crazy once she had pulled onto her street. She ended up getting soaked while running to her house, but she didn't really care. It wasn't like her day could get much worse than it already was.

The redhead went up to her room and locked the door behind her before stripping out of her wet clothes and changing into some loose sweatpants and a oversized pajama shirt. She then flopped down onto her bed, hugged one of her pillows and closed her eyes. Her heart ached as she tried to forget about what had happened that day. The young girl began to sob into her pillow, not caring if anyone heard her.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the redhead's door. "Chloe? Are you okay in there?" Her mother asked with a concerned voice.

"What does it sound like?" Chloe asked, not moving from where she was on the bed. "I'm a complete mess and I want to be left alone!"

"Okay. I'll let you know when dinner's ready," Cindy replied before she went back downstairs, knowing that letting Chloe have some alone time was the best thing to do.

Chloe continued to cry into her pillow, heartbroken from her breakup. She unable to keep from sobbing as the rain pounded against her window. The redhead looked up for a moment and saw the picture frame of her and Chicago on her bedside table. She quickly pushed it off of the table and went back to crying. There was no antidote for a breakup except for time, and Chloe knew that getting over Chicago was going to take awhile.

A little while later, Chloe got up to grab a box of tissues and saw Beca's car pull into her driveway. The redhead watched from her window as the brunette got out of her car and then opened her trunk to get her backpack. _She probably knows about the breakup by now. Then again, who doesn't? People probably started spreading rumors as soon as it happened_ , Chloe thought to herself.

Beca slung her backpack over her shoulder and grabbed her umbrella, shutting the trunk of her car and then walking into her house. The brunette stopped outside of the door for a moment, debating on whether or not she should check on Chloe. She then opened the door and walked inside, knowing that the redhead would let her know when she was ready to talk. She hadn't heard about the breakup yet, but she figured that Chloe probably wasn't speaking to Chicago.

Beca closed the door behind her, smiling when she heard footsteps running down the stairs and to the front of the house. "Hey guys," she said, chuckling when Henry and Hailee ran up to her and hugged her. "How was school today?" She asked.

"I painted a rainbow!" Hailee said excitedly as she handed Beca her painting.

"And I painted a volcano!" Henry said, handing Beca his painting as well. "We painted these for you, Beca!" He told her with a proud smile on his face.

"Thanks so much, you guys. I'll be sure to hang these on my wall," Beca said with a big smile on her face. "I'm gonna go put these in my room and then we can play whatever board game you want to. Does that sound good?"

The twins both nodded and then ran into the other room to pick out a board game while Beca went upstairs to her room. She hung the two paintings on her wall and put her backpack on her bed before she walked over to her window. The brunette could see Chloe laying on the bed through the window, and while the heavy rain outside was obstructing her view, Beca didn't need to see the redhead's face to know that she was a mess. The girl really wanted to go over there and comfort her friend, but she felt that it was best to let Chloe decompress on her own for awhile. Besides, the redhead would call or text her if she needed her.

Beca then got changed into one of her basketball sweatshirts and some loose jogger sweatpants before going downstairs to play with the twins. "Alright, what board game have you guys picked out?" Beca asked as she joined Henry and Hailee in the living room.

"Candy Land!" Hailee said enthusiastically as Beca sat down on the couch with her and her brother.

"Great choice," Beca said with a smile. "Let's play!" The three then got comfortable on the couch and began playing the game, the rain outside continuing to pour down.

About halfway through the game, Henry paused for a moment when it was his turn. "Where's Chloe? Wasn't she gonna come over and play with us too?" He asked.

"She's going through some rough stuff right now," Beca stated, choosing her words carefully so the twins would understand. "Chicago wasn't honest with her about something, and she's upset because of it. That's why you should always tell the truth, because lying only leads to more trouble," she told them. Seemingly satisfied with her answer, Henry drew a card and the game continued. Beca was watching Hailee move her pawn when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She took it out and saw a text from Chloe.

 **Chloe:** Can I come over?

 **Beca:** Yeah, of course.

Beca put her phone back in her pocket and looked down at the game board. "It looks like Henry may win this game. He's almost to Candy Castle," the brunette observed.

"Hey, no fair! Henry won last time we played this game," Hailee complained, crossing her arms and making a pouty face.

"There's still time left for you to win, don't worry," Beca said, chuckling at her little sister. "You're not that far behind him. If you pick a green card, you'll be ahead of him." Then, the doorbell rang. "You guys can keep playing. I'm gonna get the door."

Beca went to the door and opened it. When she saw Chloe's face, she knew that the girl had been crying nonstop for the last couple of hours. "Hey, come in. I'll get you something to drink. What do you want?"

Chloe shook her head. "I don't want anything," she said quietly as she walked inside the house. Henry and Hailee looked up from their game when they saw Chloe in the doorway but went back to their game after Beca gestured for them to do so.

The brunette closed the door behind the redhead and took her umbrella, hanging it up on the coat rack. The two girls then went into the other room so they could talk without being interrupted by the twins. They sat there in silence for a moment, Beca not wanting to say anything until Chloe did because she didn't want the redhead to feel pressured into talking.

After a few more moments of silence between the two, Chloe finally spoke up. "I broke up with Chicago," she said simply, looking down so Beca didn't see that tears were welling up in her eyes.

"Shit. I'm so sorry, Chlo," Beca said, leaning over and bringing her into a hug so the girl could just cry it out for a little while. "Do you want to talk about it, or do you want to talk about something else to get your mind off of it?"

"I just don't understand why he lied to me," Choe cried, holding her head in her hands. "Why didn't he tell me the truth? This whole mess could've been avoided if he was honest with me."

"I told him a week ago that he needed to tell you," Beca said, shaking her head as she held Chloe close. "The only reason I didn't tell you is because it was his news to tell, not mine. I wanted you to hear it from him. But for some reason, he didn't have the sack to tell you, and I'm sorry about that," she said, tucking some of Chloe's hair back.

"What made him think that lying to me was his best option?" Chloe thought aloud. "He's already lied to me once before. Surely he'd think twice before doing it again."

"Sometimes the fear of losing someone makes us do stupid things," Beca said with a sigh. The two of them stayed there in each other's arms, Beca letting Chloe get all of her tears out as they sat there on the couch. Beca left the occasional kiss on Chloe's forehead or cheek while just letting the redhead cry for as long as she needed to.

"I really loved him, you know?" Chloe said, sniffling a little. "He was different. At least, I thought he was. But then he turned out to be just like every other guy. He turned out to be just like Tom."

"Hey, look at me," Beca said, turning Chloe's cheek so they were face to face. "Tom was an asshole who only loved the attention he got for being with you. I know for sure that Chicago actually loves you. He looks at you the way I look at you, Chloe," she said, tucking Chloe's hair back again. "And I know for sure he's regretting what he did. That said, you can still hate him as much as you want because what he did was really fucking stupid."

"But I don't hate him," Chloe said, a couple more tears falling down her face. "I still love him. I'm just...I'm just confused and disappointed and heartbroken all at once and I don't know what I'm gonna do without him."

"Well, you're going to be sad for a little while," Beca said, using her thumb to wipe Chloe's tears off of her cheek. "And then you're going to move on, day by day and piece by piece. You're going to New York in August, and you're going to kick ass at Juilliard and probably write some Tony Award winning musical and become best friends with Lin-Manuel Miranda." These words didn't seem to help, however, and Chloe only began to cry harder. Beca then stood up and took Chloe's hand. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?" Chloe asked, standing up and wiping away her tears with her free hand.

"To my room. I have a song that I think might help make you feel better," Beca replied. She then walked into the living room, where Henry and Hailee were almost done with their game of Candy Land. "Chloe and I are gonna go upstairs for a bit, okay? You guys can watch some cartoons when you're done with your game."

The twins nodded and then Beca took Chloe up to her room. Once they were inside, Chloe sat down next to Beca at the bench by her keyboard. "You seem to have a song for every situation."

Beca chuckled. "Well, I never plan on it being that way, but it just so happens that this song is perfect for this situation," she said before turning on the keyboard and taking out some sheet music. Beca then took a deep breath. "This is for you, Chloe."

"One Call Away"- Charlie Puth

"I'm only one call away,

I'll be there to save the day.

Superman got nothing on me,

I'm only one call away.

Call me baby if you need a friend,

I just wanna give you love.

Come on, come on, come on.

Reaching out to you, so take a chance.

No matter where you go,

You know you're not alone.

I'm only one call away,

I'll be there to save the day.

Superman got nothing on me,

I'm only one call away."

Beca looked away from the sheet music and over at Chloe for a moment, smiling softly at the redhead before looking back to the sheet music and going into the second verse of the song.

"Come along with me and don't be scared,

I just wanna set you free.

Come on, come on, come on.

You and me can make it anywhere.

For now, we can stay here for a while

'Cause you know I just wanna see you smile.

No matter where you go,

You know you're not alone.

I'm only one call away,

I'll be there to save the day.

Superman got nothing on me,

I'm only one call away."

Chloe felt her heartbeat get faster and faster as Beca continued to sing the song, her eyes only on the brunette as she sang and played the song flawlessly. All of her thoughts of Chicago faded away, and all she could see or hear or think about was Beca.

The brunette continued to sing the song perfectly, putting all of her heart into it. Every now and then she would look over at Chloe and smile, hoping that the song was helping in some way.

"And when you're weak, I'll be strong.

I'm gonna keep holding on.

Now don't you worry, it won't be long, Darling.

And when you feel like hope is gone,

Just run into my arms.

I'm only one call away,

I'll be there to save the day.

Superman got nothing on me,

I'm only one call away.

I'm only one, I'm only one call away,

I'll be there to save the day.

Superman got nothing on me,

I'm only one call away."

Beca took a deep breath and then turned to look at Chloe, smiling softly. "So, what did you think?" She asked, hoping for a positive response from the redhead. All she got was silence and a blank stare, however, and the brunette started to worry. "Uh, Chloe? Are you good?" She asked, waving her hand in front of the redhead's face.

"Yeah, I'm good," Chloe replied, still gazing at the girl as she tried to figure out what she was feeling at the moment.

"Did you like the song?" Beca asked, still awaiting an answer from the redhead. "I've been working on it for awhile now, and I want to know whether you like it or not," she said, anxiously tapping her foot against the floor.

"Y-yeah, I liked it," Chloe stuttered. "Of course I liked it. I like all of your songs, Becs."

"Are you sure?" Beca asked, eyeing the redhead suspiciously. "If you didn't like it, you can just say so. I won't take it personally or anything."

"Trust me, Beca, I loved it," Chloe stated, her voice more confident this time. She then slipped her hand into Beca's hand, linking their fingers together.

"Okay, I believe you. I just wanted to be sure," Beca said, looking down at their entwined hands and smiling at them softly. She then looked back at Chloe's face, noticing the redhead hadn't really looked away for awhile. Beca couldn't help but notice the way Chloe's eyes flickered from her eyes to lips, over and over again. The brunette really wanted to lean in and close the distance between her and the redhead, but she knew that was a bad idea since she had just broken up with Chicago. "Well, uh, I guess we should probably go back downstairs and make sure the twins aren't running wild," she said awkwardly.

"Yeah, we probably should," Chloe said, looking deeply into Beca's eyes. She smiled and then bit her lip as she felt her need to kiss Beca grow stronger. Chloe took a deep breath, and went for it. She began to lean in slowly, and soon her lips were against Beca's. To the redhead's surprise, she felt the brunette kissing her back. The first kiss didn't last very long, as both girls pulled away with surprised looks on their faces. Beca was the first to lean in again, cupping Chloe's cheek with her free hand and connecting their lips in a second kiss.

Chloe leaned into the kiss, deepening it by letting Beca's tongue inside her mouth. She'd wondered what it was like to kiss Beca sober, and she was finally getting to experience it. Beca's hand wandered down to her waist and pulled the girl close to her, moving her lips to the redhead's neck as the makeout session became a little heated. The brunette began leaving a trail of kisses on the redhead's neck, starting at her jawline and moving her lips down towards her collarbone. Chloe couldn't help but moan and pushed Beca's head down closer to her skin, and that was when the brunette suddenly stopped.

"W-we can't do this. I can't do this," Beca said, moving away from Chloe and facing the other direction. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to comprehend what had just happened. _You just kissed Chloe. You just made out with Chloe. You just made out with your best friend's ex-girlfriend, and they broke up a few hours ago. What the fuck is wrong with you?_

Chloe was confused at first, wondering why Beca had suddenly pulled away from her. "Why can't we? Don't you want this?" She asked, trying to get Beca to look at her.

"I do want this, it's just-" Beca started.

"It's just what?" Chloe asked, crossing her arms and furrowing her eyebrows a little bit.

"It's just...it's not right," Beca said, looking down at the floor. "You and Chicago haven't even been broken up for a day. I can't do that to my best friend."

The redhead wanted wanted to argue, but she knew that Beca was right. She made a mistake by getting with Chicago right after her breakup with Tom, and she didn't want to make the same mistake again. Despite this, Chloe still wished Beca hadn't pulled away. Instead of making a scene, Chloe just stood up. "I think I should go," she said, zipping up her jacket.

"Yeah," Beca said, standing up as well. "Do you want me to walk with you to your house?"

"No," Chloe said, shaking her head and looking down. "No, it's alright. I'm just next door, it's not like anything worse than what's already happened today is going to happen," she said, unable to stop herself from tearing up.

"Okay," Beca said, looking down and shuffling her feet. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, right?" She said, looking back up at the redhead.

"I honestly don't know if I'm going to go to school tomorrow. I mean, with everything that's happened today? I found out my boyfriend was lying to me, for who knows how long, so I broke up with him. On top of that, I just got rejected by the only other person I have feelings for," she said with a sad chuckle. "So I think I'll just skip tomorrow." The redhead then turned away from Beca and started walking towards the door.

"Well, uh, I hope you feel better. If you ever need me, I'm just one call away. I'll see you around, I guess," Beca replied, sitting back down on the bench by her keyboard and sighing.

"Yeah, I'll see you around," Chloe said, walking out of Beca's room and closing the door behind her. She began crying as she walked down the stairs, grabbing her umbrella from the coat rack and then leaving out of the back door. She quickly snuck back over to her own house, making it to her bedroom in a couple minutes

Beca looked through her window and watched as Chloe walked into her room and closed the door. The brunette felt her heart sink when she saw that the redhead was crying, knowing that it was partly because of her. _If only you hadn't pulled away from the kiss_ , Beca said to herself. _Sure, it was the right thing to do, but now Chloe's crying because of you. Way to go, Mitchell._

All Beca wanted was to take back what she'd done. It was wrong, but it had felt so right. Chloe had kissed her, and Beca had kissed her back. It was one of the best kisses, if not the best kiss that Beca had ever experienced, and she hated herself for ending it. Not only had Chloe kissed her, but she told Beca that she had feelings for her, and what did Beca do? She rejected her. Never in a million years did Beca think that she'd be the one turning Chloe down. She looked over into Chloe's room and sighed as she saw that the girl was still crying. The brunette knew this wasn't all of her doing; after all, the redhead had been through a lot that day. She just was mad at herself for being part of the reason that she was upset.

Chloe didn't come to school the next day, and Beca didn't blame her. After everything that happened the day before, it was no wonder that the redhead didn't want to see her or Chicago. Beca didn't say much that day, as she was absorbed in her own thoughts. She barely acknowledged Chicago when she saw him and said very little to Jesse and Benji when she saw them. They knew better than to question her about it, instead letting her brood in solitude like she wanted.

Her mind kept on drifting back to what had happened between her and Chloe the night before: Chloe crying in her arms, her playing the song for Chloe, and the kiss. The kiss had changed everything, and Beca couldn't stop thinking about it. She wished that she hadn't ended it because if she hadn't, she wouldn't be another addition to Chloe's sorrows.

The end of the school day couldn't come soon enough. Beca was ready for the weekend; she needed a couple of days to decompress and fully process the events from that week. Thankfully, she didn't have get homework in any of her classes, so the brunette was able to go straight to her car after the final bell rang.

Chicago saw the brunette heading to her car and chased after her. He needed someone to talk to, and he couldn't think of anyone better to talk to than his best friend. "Beca! Wait up!" He called out, getting her attention just as she opened the driver's side door.

Beca was dreading this conversation. Her mind immediately went back to the kiss that had happened the night before. She took a deep breath and nodded when she saw Chicago. "Hey, Chicago," she said, giving him a quick smile.

"Can I talk to you for a couple minutes?" Chicago asked. "It won't take long, I promise."

"Yeah, sure," Beca said, closing the driver's side door and then leaning back against her car. "What's up?"

Chicago sniffed a couple times before he started talking. "How's Chloe? Have you gotten the chance to talk to her recently?" He asked, fiddling with the strap on his backpack.

"She's okay. I talked to her last night," Beca said, looking down at the ground and putting her hands in her pockets. "She's hurt, Chic. I'm not gonna sugarcoat anything. She really is hurt. She'll get over it eventually, but it's going to be hard. Don't expect her to fall back into your arms, though. She made it pretty clear that she doesn't want to get back together with you."

Beca's words caused a lump to grow in the young boy's throat, and he felt his heart breaking inside of him. _She made it pretty clear that she doesn't want to get back together with you._ He repeated that sentence over a couple times in his head before nodding. "Yeah, I figured she wouldn't after what I did to her," he said, blinking back a couple of tears. He then cleared his throat. "I'll see you tomorrow at the district championship game," he said, smiling the best he could.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow," Beca said, smiling and waving at her friend before getting in her car and driving home. As she pulled into her driveway, she saw Chloe planting some flowers in her backyard. The brunette parked her car and took a deep breath, then got out of her car and walked over to the redhead. "Hey," she said, a half-smile on her face.

Chloe turned around and saw Beca standing behind her. Chloe took off her gardening gloves and stood up, facing Beca. "Hi," she said, having trouble looking Beca in the eye. "Did I miss any homework assignments for pottery?" She asked.

Beca shook her head. "Nope. You didn't really miss anything, actually. Barely anyone showed up to class, so we just watched a movie," the brunette answered, noticing how the redhead was avoiding eye contact with her.

"Did I miss anything else?" Chloe asked, taking a sip from her water bottle. "Did you see him?" She asked, referring to Chicago.

Beca nodded her head. "He came up to me after school and asked how you were doing. I told him what you told me last night, and then he nodded and walked away." She said, sticking her hands in her pockets.

"Good," Chloe said, biting her lip. "Is that all you came over here to tell me?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"No, actually. I also wanted to apologize for what happened last night. I hope you're feeling a little better," Beca said, looking down at the ground. She then looked back up at Chloe. "If you need me, I'm always here for you," she added.

"I'm confused. Are you apologizing for kissing me back last night?" Chloe asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Kinda, I guess. I didn't mean to lead you on or anything by kissing you back. I do have feelings for you, Chloe. I just shouldn't have acted on them last night. It wasn't fair to you, and it's not fair to Chicago. I'm sorry that you got hurt because of me," Beca explained.

Chloe looked down at the ground, feeling a lump grow in her throat as she listened to Beca. Tears were threatening to fall, but she couldn't let Beca see that. "It's fine, okay?" Chloe said, even though it wasn't. Her heart was aching more than it ever had in her whole life.

Beca could tell that it really wasn't fine like Chloe said it was, but she didn't say anything about it. She just nodded her head and turned around, starting to walk back towards her house. She then stopped and turned back around. "The district championship game is tomorrow. Having you there would help calm my nerves a lot. If you don't want to come, I understand. I just wanted to let you know."

At first, Chloe hesitated to give Beca an answer. She then wiped her tears and looked up at Beca for the first time in a couple minutes. "I'll be there. The cheerleaders are doing the halftime show anyways, so I'll be there."

Beca smiled softly. "Alright, awesome. I'll see you tomorrow, then. Have a good rest of your day," Beca said, waving at the redhead before turning around and walking into her house.

Chloe stood there and watched as Beca walked into her house, wishing everything that had happened last night between her and Beca had never taken place. The kiss had made everything even more complicated than it already was, and it was tearing Chloe apart inside.

 **Things seem to be getting a little rough between Beca and Chloe. What do you think about Beca's decision to stop the kiss? And was it the right thing for her to do even though she really, really wants to be with Chloe? Let us know what you think!**

 **Also, what did you guys think of Beca and Chloe's kiss?**

 **Until next time!**


	22. Chapter 22: Most Valuable Player

Chapter 22: Most Valuable Player

Beca took a few shots from outside the three point line as the Hartford Hawks warmed up for the district championship game. The Hawks were playing the Roosevelt Rangers, the only team that had beaten them in the regular season. As Beca warmed up, she couldn't help but glance over at Chloe as she and the rest of the cheerleaders warmed up behind the basket. Things were still tense between the two girls, but the brunette wasn't gonna let that take her out of the game mentally. She had to be there for her team and lead them to what would be the tenth straight district championship for Hartford High.

If they won this game, they'd be the top seed from their district going into the regional bracket of the state tournament, and Beca was going to do everything she could to make sure that would happen. She couldn't let her team down, especially on a big stage like this one. While it was only the district championship and they still had a long way to go before they made it to state, this was a do-or-die game for the Hartford Hawks.

Chicago made his way into the student section, sitting down next to Jesse and Aubrey. He smiled when he saw his best friend warming up on the court. His smile then disappeared when he saw Chloe talking with Stacie as the cheerleaders warmed up. Just looking at his ex-girlfriend made his heart hurt, so he decided to distract himself by scrolling through some of his friends' Snapchat stories.

While Chloe was standing behind the basket with the rest of the cheerleaders, she thought she saw someone out of the corner of her eye. The redhead turned to get a better look at who it was and immediately turned back around once she realized it was Chicago. "Oh my god, Stacie," the redhead groaned. "He's here."

By now, everyone in their friend group had heard about the breakup from either Chloe or Chicago. Stacie looked over and saw Chicago sitting in the student section to Jesse and Aubrey. "Don't worry, he's not going to come down and try to talk to you. He knows better than that," Stacie told her in a reassuring voice.

"Still, I wish he wasn't here," Chloe said, crossing her arms and making sure not to look in Chicago's direction. "We haven't talked since we broke up, and I want to keep it that way."

"Well, you won't have to talk to him since we're cheering the entire time," Stacie said, scrunching her face a little bit. "Since I'm giving you a ride home, you won't have to talk to him afterwards. Beca might have a party afterwards, though, so just stay by my side if that's the case."

Chloe nodded. "Thanks, Stacie. I appreciate it," she said, smiling at the tall brunette. The redhead then glanced at the players on the basketball court, watching Beca and Emily as they did some pregame stretches before taking some more shots. Chloe bit her lip as she watched the brunette, smiling whenever the girl made a basket.

Stacie noticed this and then nudged the redhead with her hip. "Whatcha looking at, Beale?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking at the redhead.

"What?" Chloe asked, jarred back to reality by Stacie.

"I asked what you were looking at," Stacie said with a chuckle. "So, what were you looking at? Or should I say who were you looking at?"

"Uh, nothi-I mean no one," Chloe stuttered, stumbling over her words which didn't help her case at all. "I wasn't looking at anyone."

Stacie chuckled again. "Okay, if you say so," the tall brunette said with a shrug of the shoulders. She continued to watch Chloe a little though, noticing her eyes were following one particular basketball player.

While Chloe was still really upset about her breakup with Chicago, her mind wandered every now and then to the kiss that she and Beca had. The way their lips moved so perfectly in sync, and how they clung to each other's bodies as if they were holding on for dear life. Not to mention the fact that all Beca had to do to make her moan was press a few soft kisses to her neck. The redhead bit her lip multiple times as she watched the brunette, again catching Stacie's attention.

"Beca's look sharp tonight, don't you think?" Stacie commented, winking at Chloe as the redhead continued to stare in awe as Beca made shot after shot. "She looks hot in her warm-up outfit, and she's in the zone right now," the tall brunette added, trying to catch Chloe off guard.

"She does look really good right now," Chloe said absentmindedly as she continued to check out the brunette.

"Gotcha!" Stacie said, laughing as Chloe looked at her in confusion. "You were totally looking at Beca earlier. You've been checking her out ever since she stepped foot on the court, actually."

Chloe knew she couldn't deny it with Stacie around, so instead she scrunched up her face and blushed till she was almost as red as her hair. "Am I that bad at my leering?" She asked, covering her face with her hands in embarrassment.

"Yeah, you are," Stacie said, chuckling and putting a hand on the redhead's shoulder in sympathy. "It's okay, though. I saw her checking you out earlier, and she was pretty blatant about it too. Since when are you into girls?"

"I honestly don't know," Chloe answered, sighing. "I started having feelings for Beca about two months ago, but I didn't know they were real feelings until she started hooking up with Allison.

"Ah, I see. So your jealousy made you realize that your feelings for Beca are real?" Stacie asked.

"All I know is that I've never felt this way before, Stacie," Chloe said, looking down. She debated in her head on whether or not she should tell Stacie about the kiss, knowing it would eventually out in the open. "She makes my heart skip a beat, and she always can find a way to make me smile. Plus, we kinda had a moment the other day after the breakup."

"A moment?" Stacie asked, raising an eyebrow. "What kind of moment did you two have?"

Chloe took a deep breath before answering Stacie's question. "I went over to her house because I needed someone to talk to. I couldn't stop crying, so she decided to play a song for me. Once she started playing, everything else disappeared," she said, pausing for a moment before continuing. "And then we...we made out."

"Wait, you what?" Stacie said, not sure if she had heard Chloe right. "You two made out? What happened after that?"

"Beca ended it because she felt guilty about making out with me right after my breakup. She said she shouldn't have acted on her feelings for me because it wasn't fair to Chicago and she didn't want to lead me on," Chloe said, blinking a few tears back. "I knew it was smart of her to stop it, but it felt right, Stacie. I can't even describe how amazing it was."

"It was smart of her to end the kiss. Just because she ended the kiss doesn't mean that she doesn't like you, though. Beca still has feelings for you. She's had them for a long time, and she'll continue to have them. Don't be discouraged," Stacie told her friend. "I would ask more questions about your love life, but it looks like the game is about to start, so we'll talk about it more later."

The Hawks won pretty handily that night, outscoring their opponents by thirty-three points. The Rangers' star player fouled out of the game in the first half, and the team was discombobulated for the rest of the game as a result. The final score ended up being 87-54, and Beca won the Player of the Game Award after racking up thirty points and ten assists. In addition to being named the Player of the Game, the brunette also won the Most Valuable Player Award for the regular season after averaging twenty-five points, seven assists, three rebounds, and two steals per game. It was safe to say that the girl deserved both awards.

Afterwards, Beca was hosting an after-party and invited all of their friend group to celebrate. Chloe stayed by Stacie's side for most of the night, doing her best to avoid Chicago. At one point, they almost ran into each other, but Chloe avoided him by making a sharp turn into the bathroom. The redhead closed the bathroom door behind her and locked it, closing her eyes and sighing. She didn't want to spend the whole night avoiding Chicago, but it seemed that he followed her around wherever she went.

Chloe took a few more deep breaths and then went back out to the party, scoping the room for Chicago so she could avoid him. She didn't see him anywhere, so she decided it was safe to grab a piece of pizza. "Can we please talk, Chlo?" Chloe sighed when she heard the voice of her ex-boyfriend. The redhead closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning around to face him.

"Why are you suddenly so eager to talk to me? You seemed fine not talking to me before Thursday," Chloe said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I want to make things right between us. Avoiding each other is only making everything more awkward, and I don't want that. Can we please just talk for a few minutes?" Chicago asked.

"No, Chic. I'm not ready to have a civilized conversation with you," Chloe said, looking him straight in the eyes. "You lied to me for at least a month about Georgia, so I feel like I should be able to avoid you for that amount of time," she stated firmly before walking away from him and leaving him to his thoughts. _As if things could get any worse right now_ , Chloe thought to herself as she took a bite out of her piece of pizza.

The redhead spoke too soon, however, because she saw Beca and Allison sneaking upstairs together when she looked up from her piece of pizza. _Are you fucking kidding me?_ She said to herself, setting down her plate and following the two girls upstairs.

Beca was kissing Allison's neck and about to close the bedroom door when Chloe stormed in, causing the two girls to jump. "Chloe, what the hell?" Beca asked in surprise.

"So you can't make out with me but you can have sex with her?" Chloe retorted in an angry voice. "What the fuck is that all about?"

"Chloe, chill out," Beca said, trying to get the redhead to calm down. "I don't see what the problem is-"

"You don't see what the problem is? Really, Beca?" Chloe asked, tears welling up in her eyes. "The problem is that we kissed and I told you I had feelings for you! Do you not remember any of that?" The redhead had an immense amount of anger built up inside her after everything that had happened that week, and seeing the brunette with Allison made her explode. "I told you I had feelings for you, and you just brushed it off like it didn't even matter to you. Not to mention you tell me that you have feelings for me, and then you go and try to fuck another girl? Are you fucking kidding me?" She yelled, starting to get choked up.

"I remember what happened, Chloe," Beca replied in a surprisingly calm voice. "But we're not together. I told you we couldn't be together. Why are you getting so upset over this? I thought you knew about me and Allison."

"I have known about you two, and it's been killing me inside," Chloe said, a couple tears falling down her face. "I know that we can't be together, Beca. I get that. But after everything that's happened this week, you didn't think that maybe me seeing you about to hook up with Allison would hurt me?" Chloe asked. The redhead then paused for a few moments to calm down a little before speaking again. "I told you about my feelings for you, Becs. And I get that I made you go through the same thing while being with Chicago, but I never meant to hurt you. Even if you and I can't be together, seeing you with someone else still stings." She started walking towards the door and then stopped, wanting to say one last thing. "I'm sorry I ruined your moment. Have fun, Beca. You deserve it. You were named the MVP tonight, after all." With that, the redhead went back downstairs and grabbed her coat before walking out of the front door and to her own house.

Beca stood there and watched as Chloe walked away, sighing and running her fingers through her hair. The brunette then went and sat down on the end of her bed. "I'm not really in the mood anymore," she said softly, looking up at Allison. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry. It's okay," Allison said, offering her a friendly smile. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, listening to the music downstairs and the constant chattering of their friends. Then, Allison spoke up again. "Maybe it's best if we stop doing this," the blonde stated. "It's not fair for us to continue when this has clearly been hurting Chloe for awhile now."

Beca nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, it's probably for the best," she replied, looking down. "I did enjoy this, Allison, and I hope we can still be friends," the brunette added, looking back up.

"Of course we can still be friends, Beca. We had a good run, but there are no hard feelings between you and me," Allison replied, rubbing Beca's back a little. "But there is someone who you need to go make things right with, and I think you know who I'm talking about."

Beca closed her eyes and sighed. "How am I supposed to make things right without hurting her even more?" She asked. "It seems like no matter what I do, she's going to end up getting hurt, and I don't want that."

"You're not the main reason that she's upset. The poor girl's had a rough week. Just go find her and comfort her, that's probably all she wants right now," Allison said, shrugging her shoulders. "She wasn't upset by you telling her that you couldn't be with her, she was upset because you told her that and hooked up with me. If you don't go make things right with her, you may lose her forever, and I know for a fact that you don't want that."

"You're right," Beca said, standing up. "Thanks for the advice, Ali. I really appreciate it," she said, smiling at her friend. The brunette then went downstairs to find Chloe, but the redhead was nowhere to be found. She decided to ask Stacie since she knew that Chloe had been hanging out with her for most of the night. "Hey Stace, have you seen Chloe lately?"

"Last I saw, it looked like she was going home," Stacie answered, taking a sip of her root beer. "If you're looking for her, that's probably where she is."

"Alright, thanks," Beca said, going over to the coat rack and grabbing her jacket. "I'll be back in a little bit." She then went out the front door and walked over to Chloe's house. As she was walking over, she saw that the light in the redhead's room was on, so she figured that was where she was. Beca walked up the steps of the porch and stopped at the door, taking a deep breath before ringing the doorbell.

Patrick Beale, Chloe's father, opened up the door and a smile appeared on his face when he saw Beca. "Hello there, Beca. Congrats on the win tonight. You played some great team basketball, that's for sure," he said, smiling.

"Thank you, Mr. Beale," Beca said, smiling and shaking his hand. "Is Chloe here? I wanted to talk to her."

Patrick nodded and then stepped aside so Beca could walk into the house. "She came home a little while ago and went up to her room," he replied.

"Alright, thanks," Beca said, smiling gratefully at Patrick before going upstairs. She walked down the hall and stopped in front of Chloe's door, then knocked on it a couple times. "Chlo? Are you in there?" No response came at first, so Beca knocked again. "Chlo, I just want to talk, okay?"

Beca heard footsteps and the door soon swung open, revealing a red-eyed Chloe. "Haven't you already said what you wanted to say? That we can't be together and that you hooking up with Allison shouldn't matter to me? Isn't that all you wanted to say?" She asked sadly.

Beca shook her head. "I haven't said what I want to, which is why I came over. Can I come in?" She asked. The two stood there in silence for a couple moments until Chloe reluctantly moved so Beca could walk into the room. The brunette went over and sat down on Chloe's bed, patting the spot next to her as if to tell the redhead to come sit next to her.

Chloe dragged herself over to her bed and sat down next to Beca, grabbing herself a pillow to hold onto while she listened to the brunette talk. "Alright, you're here, so what is it that you want to say?" She asked, wiping a couple stray tears that had stuck to her cheek.

"Well, first of all, I wanted to apologize for what I said earlier. I now realize that what I said was rude, even though I didn't intend for it to be that way," Beca started. "I also want to apologize for trying to hook up with Allison tonight. I wasn't expecting you to see us, and I should've thought about my actions instead of just doing them. That being said, you won't catch Allison and I again because we're not friends-with-benefits anymore," Beca said, looking down at the ground for a moment. "Cynthia Rose actually warned me that something like this would happen. When I first started hooking up with Allison, CR told me that it always ends up hurting someone. I didn't know that it would hurt you, and I'm sorry for that."

The silence between the two girls grew as Chloe tried to think of what to say to Beca. She wiped a couple more tears from her cheeks before nodding her head. "I accept your apology, but you're not the only one who needs to apologize," she said, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry for torturing you these last five months. I know that seeing me with Chicago was just as hard, if not harder for you than seeing you with Allison was for me."

"You don't need to apologize, Chlo. Sure, it was hard watching you be with Chicago, but you were dating him. It's not like you were supposed to purposely avoid your boyfriend just because I didn't like seeing you two together," Beca replied. She then leaned over and wiped away some of Chloe's tears with her thumb. "Let's put all this negativity and all the bad memories behind us, okay? Let's have a fresh start."

Chloe nodded her head in agreement and smiled for the first time since Beca had come into her room. "I'd like that," she said, sniffing a couple times before wiping away the last of her tears. She then held out her hand for Beca to shake. "Hi, my name is Chloe."

Beca smiled as well and then shook Chloe's hand while saying, "Hi, my name is Beca. What's your favorite color?"

"Blue. It's always been blue," Chloe said with a cute giggle. "What's yours?" She asked.

"Black," Beca answered. "But if you're one of those people who insist that black isn't a color, then my favorite color is purple," she added with a chuckle.

"Don't worry, I'm not one of those people," Chloe said, smiling at the girl sitting next to her. She then bit her lip and and looked down for a moment. "I don't really feel like going back to the party, but you don't have to stay here if you don't want to," she said, tucking her hair back. "I mean, you won the district championship. I can understand if you'd rather be celebrating with everyone else right now."

"No, it's okay. The party was starting to get boring anyways. Plus, I'd like to get to know my new friend a little more," Beca said with a chuckle. "If that's okay with you, of course."

"That's alright with me," Chloe said. "Though I should warn you, I'm pretty talkative once I get going, so you may be here all night," she added confidently.

Beca shrugged her shoulders. "That's fine with me. I don't have anything better to do," she replied, smiling at the girl sitting next to her.

The girls got to talking about all sorts of things: their first kisses, favorite bands, favorite restaurants. Chloe laughed as Beca went on and on about Taco Bell and how it beat all other fast food restaurants. Around midnight, they were naming their favorite Beatles' songs.

"'The Long and Winding Road' is their best song in my opinion," Beca said, nodding her head. "That, or 'She Loves You,' you really can never go wrong with either of those two."

"Those are some good ones, that's for sure," Chloe said. "Some of my favorite songs are from their earlier albums, like 'I Want to Hold Your Hand.' That song is just so catchy."

"My favorites are 'Blackbird' and 'Here Comes the Sun,'" Beca stated. "'Here Comes the Sun' was actually one of the first songs I learned to play on the guitar."

"Really? You'll have to play it for me sometime. I wish I knew how to play more Beatles songs on the piano. The only one I know is 'Let It Be,'" Chloe said, tucking a stray piece of red hair behind her ear.

"That one's a classic," Beca said, smiling at Chloe. "I would've given anything to see them in their hay day."

"Me too," Chloe said, gazing at Beca for a moment before biting her lip. "Would you mind staying with me tonight? I understand if you don't want to, I just wanted to ask."

"Yeah, sure. I'll have to let my parents know, but it shouldn't be a problem," Beca replied with a smile.

"Cool," Chloe said, smiling back at the brunette.

"Do you have an pajamas I could borrow?" Beca asked.

"Yeah, let me grab you some," Chloe said, getting up and walking over to her drawer. She picked out one of her dad's old flannel shirts and some shorts for Beca. The redhead then picked out a loose tank top and some shorts for herself. "Here you go," she said, handing the flannel shirt and the shorts to Beca. "You can change in my bathroom."

"Alright, thanks," Beca said, taking the clothing items from Chloe and then going to the bathroom to change. Once she had changed into the pajamas, the brunette went back into the redhead's bedroom. "So, do you want to keep talking about stuff or should we do something else?" She asked.

"Would you play 'Here Comes the Sun' for me?" Chloe asked. She stood up and walked over to her closet, opening it up and taking out a guitar. Her parents had bought it for her as a birthday present, but she had yet to learn how to actually play the instrument.

"Yeah, of course," Beca said, taking the guitar from Chloe and strumming a few chords to get warmed up. Once she had done so, the brunette began to play the song.

"Here Comes the Sun"- The Beatles

"Here comes the sun.

Here comes the sun, and I say:

It's alright.

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter.

Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here.

Here comes the sun.

Here comes the sun, and I say:

It's alright."

Chloe smiled as she listened to Beca sing the song. By the time the brunette reached the bridge, she was unable to keep herself from harmonizing with Beca's melody.

"Sun, sun, sun, here it comes.

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes.

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes.

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes.

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting.

Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear.

Here comes the sun.

Here comes the sun, and I say:

It's alright."

Beca smiled as Chloe harmonized with her while she sang, their voices going together perfectly. The redhead continued to harmonize with the brunette as they sang the last chorus.

"Here comes the sun.

Here comes the sun, and I say:

It's alright,

It's alright."

As Beca strummed the final chord for the song, both of the girls had wide smiles on their faces. "Wow," Beca said, in awe of Chloe's voice. "I've heard you sing before, but still. You're amazing, Chlo," she stated, at a complete loss for words.

"So are you," Chloe said, smiling and blushing at Beca's compliment. The redhead then bit her lip and looked down. "Could you maybe teach me how to play guitar sometime?" She asked shyly, looking back up at the brunette. "My parents got me the guitar because I wanted to learn how to play, but I haven't had the chance to do so."

"I'd love to teach you," Beca said, smiling at the redheads shyness. "Why don't I teach you the four basic chords that you'll hear in almost every song? This can be your first lesson."

Chloe nodded her head. "Sure. That would be great. Thanks, Becs," she said, smiling at her friend.

Beca then handed her the guitar and scooted closer to her. "Alright, so the first chord is G, and that one is pretty simple," she said, placing Chloe's fingers on the frets.

While Chloe was paying attention, she couldn't help but notice her heart rate speed up at the touch of Beca's hand on hers as the brunette showed her the chords. She was so caught up in trying to stop her heart from thumping out of her chest that she stopped paying attention altogether, so she had no idea what she was doing when Beca asked her to play a few chords for her. "Sorry, I got a little distracted there," the redhead admitted, looking down so the brunette wouldn't see how hard she was blushing.

Beca smiled and chuckled at the girl before showing her the chords again. "I know I make your heart race," she teased once she had showed Chloe the chords again. "You wanna play them for me now?"

Chloe nodded her head and then played the cords. Afterwards, she looked to Beca for approval. "Did I do okay?" She asked, hoping the brunette would say yes.

"You're a natural," Beca said, smiling at the redhead. "You'll be shredding like Jimi Hendrix before you know it."

"Well, I don't know about that, but thanks," Chloe said before putting the guitar back in her closet and laying down on her bed.

Beca lay down next to her and put on hand behind her head as they both stared up at the ceiling. "What are you most excited for when you head to Juilliard?"

"I don't know, actually. I'm excited for everything, really," Chloe said, turning onto her side so she was facing Beca. "What are you most excited for when you head to LA?" She asked.

"The hot chicks," Beca said in a joking manner, which earned her a playful nudge from Chloe. She then thought about it a moment longer before answering. "Honestly, I'm just hoping that I prove everyone who's ever doubted me wrong. Especially my father."

"And you will, Becs," Chloe said, putting a hand on Beca's shoulder. "You'll prove the doubters wrong, and you'll prove everyone who believed in you right. Like me."

Beca turned her head and looked at Chloe, leaning down her kiss her hand as it rested on her shoulder. She smiled softly and then yawned, covering her mouth as she did so. "We should probably get some sleep," Beca said.

"Yeah, we probably should. It's pretty late," Chloe said. She leaned over and turned off her bedside lamp before turning back to face Beca. "Goodnight, Becs," she whispered softly.

Beca smiled and then got under the covers of Chloe's bed, not surprised at all when Chloe came to cuddle her. "Goodnight, Chlo," the brunette wrapped her arms around Chloe and closed her eyes, feeling more content than she had been in a very long time.

 **A fresh start for the girls is what they needed, and it seems like their feelings may continue to service as the last few months of the school year go by.**

 **Allison is a wise owl, don't you think? We may keep her as part of their official friend group. What do you think?**

 **Until Next Time!**


	23. Chapter 23: Chloe's Birthday

Chapter 23: Chloe's Birthday

"Wake up, special girl!" Patrick said, sitting on his daughter's bed and gently nudging her. "It's your birthday!" He said with a smile on his face. "You're eighteen!"

The redhead sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes, tucking some stray pieces of hair behind her ear. "I feel the same as I did yesterday," she mumbled in a tired voice, although there was a smile on her face as well.

"Well, since it's your eighteenth birthday, and you're an adult now, I figured you could have the day off from school," Patrick said, tucking back some more stray pieces of her hair. "I talked to Beca's parents and they said that she could skip with you. You two can do whatever you want today, and then you can come back for your birthday dinner," he told her. "How does that sound?"

Chloe perked up immediately when her father said this. "Really? That's awesome! Thanks, Dad," she said, leaning over and giving her father a big hug.

"You're welcome, sweetheart," Patrick replied, hugging her back. "Beca's already here and your mother is making a big birthday breakfast, so get dressed and then head downstairs," he said, kissing her forehead before standing up and leaving her room.

Chloe didn't have to be told twice. The redhead instantly got up and started getting ready for the day. Once she was dressed, she went downstairs and smiled when she saw her mom in the kitchen. "Hey, Mom," Chloe said, a big smile on her face.

"Hey, birthday girl!" Cindy said as she turned around from the stove to give her daughter a hug and kiss on the cheek. "Happy eighteenth birthday, Darling."

"Thanks, Mom," Chloe said, smiling as they pulled back from the hug.

Beca then walked up and gave Chloe a nice birthday hug. "Happy birthday, Beale," she said, a soft smile on her face.

"Thanks, Becs," Chloe said, smiling and hugging the brunette back for a few moments. "So, what are we going to do today?" The redhead asked when they pulled away from the embrace.

"I mean, it is your birthday," Beca said, chuckling. "We can do whatever you want to do."

"As long as it's not drugs," Cindy interjected, making both of the girls laugh.

"Darn, there goes the one idea I had," Beca joked, making both Chloe and her mother laugh. "I'm just kidding. Don't worry, Mrs. Beale. I've never understood the appeal of drugs," Beca stated before she and Chloe sat down to start eating breakfast. "This looks great, by the way. Thanks for having me over for Chloe's birthday breakfast, Mrs. Beale."

Cindy shook her head. "It's always a pleasure to have you over, Beca," the older woman told the brunette in a genuine voice. "You're almost always over here anyways, so it would've been rude to not invite you," she added with a chuckle.

It was true―Beca and Chloe had been spending a lot of time together the last couple of weeks. If they weren't at Chloe's, then they were at Beca's. Chloe would come to watch Beca play basketball no matter where her games were. The state championship game was in a week, and the Hartford Hawks had earned a spot in the title game after cruising through the regional playoff bracket and the state semifinal round. Needless to say, the two girls were always around each other. And somewhat surprisingly, they had managed to keep it friendly the entire time. It was nice, being able to build their friendship without having to worry about getting romantic.

"Well, I'm glad that I was invited nonetheless. I always enjoy coming over here," Beca told Cindy with a smile before taking a bite out of one of her waffles and washing it down with a sip of orange juice.

"It wouldn't be right without you here, Becs," Chloe said, sipping some coffee and then taking a bite of her hash browns.

The two girls ate their breakfast and then got ready to head out. "Make sure that you're back by six. That's when I'll be serving your birthday dinner," Cindy called out to them as they walked out of front door.

Chloe turned around after she walked out the door, smiling and waving at her parents. "Will do! Love you guys!" She said before closing the door behind her.

"So, since it's your birthday, why don't I drive and you tell me where you want to go? We're lucky that we live in a place that has a lot of things to do," Beca said as they walked over to her green Subaru Outback. "What would you like to do first?"

"Hmm," Chloe said, scrunching up her face in a cute way as she thought. "I don't really know what I want to do first, actually. Let's just be spontaneous," she replied. "I do want to go see the Space Needle some time today, though. I still haven't seen it yet for some reason," the redhead added.

"Well then, let's go to the Space Needle," Beca said, unlocking her car and holding the passenger's side door open for Chloe. "It shouldn't be too busy since it's a school day," she mentioned as Chloe got into the passenger's seat. She then went over to the other side and got in the driver's seat before starting the car. "You can pick the music we listen to," she stated, handing her phone to Chloe before pulling the car out of the driveway.

Chloe took the brunette's phone and started scrolling through her music, instantly clicking on her Beatles playlist when she saw it. The redhead hit the shuffle button and then looked over at Beca. "How long is it gonna take to get to the Space Needle?" She asked curiously.

This question made the brunette chuckle. "You sound like Henry and Hailee," she joked, earning a playful nudge from the redhead. "It should only take us about twenty minutes to get there. It takes longer when there's traffic, but I don't think many people will be going to the Space Needle at this time of day."

"I'm glad I have my best friend with me today, thanks for skipping school for my birthday," Chloe said, smiling at Beca as they got onto the freeway.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm always happy to skip school. It's just a coincidence that I wanted to skip school and today was your birthday," Beca replied, chuckling some more. "Just kidding, Red. Thanks for letting me skip school with you for your birthday."

Just like Beca had predicted, they made to the Space Needle in about twenty minutes. There wasn't a huge line either, so they got their tickets relatively quickly and were now waiting in line for the elevator that would take them to the top. While Chloe was excited, she was also a little bit nervous. The girl had a fear of heights, but she had been wanting to conquer said fear for awhile now because she'd heard amazing things about the view from the top of the Space Needle. The redhead bit her lip as she watched people get in the elevator, which slowly rose to the top. She also started tapping her foot on the ground, which didn't go unnoticed by Beca.

"It's gonna be okay, Chlo," Beca said, taking one of the redhead's hands and squeezing it gently to reassure her. "We're not gonna fall from the top or anything. They wouldn't let people go up there if it wasn't safe." She noticed that her words didn't seem to help the other girl, so she spoke again. "Trust me on this one, Chlo. It's gonna be okay. If you get scared while we're up there, just squeeze my hand, okay?"

Chloe looked at their hands and then up into Beca's eyes, nodding to acknowledge her friend. "I will. Thank you," she said softly, squeezing Beca's hand. "Just, don't let go of my hand, okay?"

"Don't worry, Chlo. I won't," Beca said, squeezing the redhead's hand again and then intertwining their fingers.

The redhead took a deep breath and smiled before the two of them got into the elevator. As they started to go up, Chloe's grip on Beca's hand tightened slightly. However, having Beca there did make her significantly calmer than she would have been had she been with anyone else.

A couple minutes later, the elevator had reached the top floor. The doors opened and everyone inside walked out onto the observation deck. Beca and Chloe were some of the last people to get out of the elevator, as the brunette had to give the redhead some more words of reassurance before she agreed to go out onto the observation deck.

Chloe looked around at the view around her once they got to the windows. "You know, this isn't too bad," she said, a smile slowly spreading across her face. "The view is beautiful."

"Isn't it? I've been up here a couple times before, but this view always manages to take my breath away," Beca said with a smile as she leaned against the railing.

The redhead walked up beside Beca and looked out at the skyline. "This really is an amazing city," she said, gazing at the many tall buildings. "I'm really glad that my family moved here."

"Me too. If you guys hadn't moved here, I wouldn't have met you," Beca said, watching as Chloe looked out in awe at the city.

Chloe took Beca's hand again and squeezed it, but this time it wasn't because she was squeezed Beca's hand because she hadn't felt so close to someone before, and she wanted to let Beca know that. Even if they were just friends right now, Chloe couldn't be more thankful to have Beca in her life.

Beca looked over at Chloe and smiled, squeezing her hand back as well. Then, she took her phone out of her pocket. "I'm gonna take some pictures of the view before we go back down."

"Good idea," Chloe said. "I brought my polaroid camera so we could make some eternal memories," she added, opening her purse and pulling out a light blue polaroid camera. As soon as Beca finished taking some pictures with her phone, Chloe asked a friendly stranger to take their photo. Beca put her arm around Chloe's waist and they both smiled widely for the picture. After their picture was taken, Chloe got her camera back and the two girls waited for the picture to print. "How do you think the picture will turn out?" The brunette asked.

"I think it'll be awesome," Chloe said as she flapped the picture back and forth to help the picture print. "I mean, it's a photo of two hotties at the top of the Space Needle. How could it not look good?" She asked, making Beca shrug her shoulders and chuckle a little.

"You do have a point," Beca stated as she turned to look at the view again. "Tell me when it's done so I can see." As soon as she said that, Chloe handed the picture to her so she could look at it. "Well, you were right. It's an awesome picture. It's of two hotties at the top of the Space Needle, after all."

Chloe giggle for a moment before she put the picture in a photo case before putting the camera back in her bag. "Alright, what do you think we should do next? You're the Seattle native. What's the most fun thing to do here?"

"Well, we could go to a museum if you wanted. There's lots of museums in Seattle. We could also go for a walk on the pier," Beca suggested. "I also can't forget to mention the paint balloon park down by Lake Union. We could also go pedal-boating on the lake if you wanted."

"Let's go throw paint balloons at each other at the paint balloon park and then go pedal-boating on the lake," Chloe said, smiling as they walked back towards the elevator.

"Alright, sounds good," Beca said, smiling back at Chloe. They went down the elevator and then Beca drove them to the paint balloon park. "I've actually never been here before; I've only heard of it. I imagine that paint balloons probably hurt less than paintballs, though."

"That's my guess too. It looks like a lot of fun," Chloe said as they got out of the car. They paid for about twenty-five minutes in the small arena they had set up. The two girls then put on their paint suits and grabbed their goggles. Chloe put her hair up in a bun and so did Beca. They then went in the arena and, after a countdown, they began throwing paint balloons at each other.

Beca grabbed a paint balloon and threw it at Chloe's head, narrowly missing her. The brunette then ducked behind a wall as Chloe threw a paint balloon at her. She laughed as she watched the paint balloon fly through the air and explode when it hit the ground. "Nice aim, Beale!" Beca called out, hit in the chest by the next balloon that Chloe threw, which was a blue one.

"Bring it on, Mitchell!" Chloe said with a smirk before diving behind a fire hydrant to avoid the next balloon that Beca threw at her.

Beca slowly crept to the other side of the wall, making sure she moved quietly so Chloe didn't hear her. The brunette saw the redhead crouching behind the fire hydrant and quickly threw another balloon at her, splattering her shoulder with neon green paint. "Gotcha!" She yelled triumphantly before ducking back behind the wall.

Chloe felt some paint from the balloon splatter on her cheek, so she wiped it off. The redhead then grabbed another balloon and climbed onto a ledge that was out of Beca's sight, waiting for the brunette to move again so she could get a good shot at her.

Beca knew that Chloe was waiting for her next move, so she stayed put behind the wall and listened to see if the redhead was moving. All she heard was silence, however, so the brunette figured that the other girl was doing the same thing she was. Five minutes went by and nothing had happened, so Beca decided to briefly peek around the wall.

That's when Chloe threw a yellow balloon Beca's way. It ended up hitting the wall instead of Beca, but some yellow paint did get on her face and neck. "Really?" Beca said, chuckling and wiping the paint of her goggles.

Chloe shrugged her shoulders, a smirk spreading across her face. "What? Was I not supposed to throw a balloon at you?" She asked innocently. Beca playfully flipped her off before they continued to throw balloons at each other, each of them getting splattered all over by paint.

Afterwards, they went to wash themselves off and change back into their clothes. Beca got done first and waited outside for Chloe, smiling at the polaroid picture they had taken after their paint balloon fight. "Whatcha looking at?" Chloe asked as she walked up to Beca after she showered and changed back into her clothes.

Beca turned and smiled at the redhead before showing her the picture they had taken. "The photo turned out great," she said, giving the picture to Chloe so she could look at it.

Chloe took the picture from Beca and smiled. "Yeah, it did," she said, opening her purse and putting the picture with the others that they had taken that day. The redhead then looked back to Beca. "The next item on the agenda is pedal-boating on the lake, right?"

"Yup. We can just walk over there since the pedal-boating place isn't too far away from here. It's a five minute walk at most," Beca informed her. The two girls then began walking towards the pedal-boating shack. "Are having fun on your birthday so far?"

Chloe smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I am," she replied. "What about you? Are you having fun on my birthday so far?" She asked, giggling a little.

"There's no place I'd rather be," Beca said, smiling at Chloe's adorable giggle. When they made it to the pedal-boating shack, Beca paid for their boat and got a life jacket for each of them. "This is part of my present to you," she told the other girl. "Plus, it's your birthday, so you shouldn't have to pay for everything."

Chloe blushed at Beca's words. "Thanks, Becs. I appreciate it," she said softly. The redhead spoke again as they walked over to their boat. "So, there's another part of your present to me?"

"Yup," Beca said. They then put on their life jackets and climbed into the boat, slowly pedaling out onto the lake. "But it's a surprise, so you'll have to wait."

"Fine, if you say so," Chloe said, smiling as the boat slowly began to move. "Will I get any hints, at least?"

"It's something that you told me you wanted to get at some point before going to New York," Beca said, smiling.

Chloe scratched the back of her head as she tried to figure out what the present was. She kept thinking, but didn't come up with anything. "I'm stumped," she said, the boat moving forward each time they pedaled. They were almost to the middle of the lake when Chloe suddenly figured out what the second part of the present was. "No way! Are you serious?"

"Serious about what?" Beca asked, chuckling at Chloe's sudden realization. "I haven't even said what the present is yet."

"You can't get me a tattoo, Becs. They're really expensive, and you've already done so much for me today," Chloe said.

"Your parents said it was okay, and I just got my paycheck for this month. I've already made us an appointment. There's no going back on this, Beale," Beca said with a smile. "Don't worry, I can afford it: I worked extra last month so we could do this. You're getting one, and I'm getting one too."

Chloe was still hesitant, however. "I don't know, Becs. Are you sure my parents are okay with it?"

"Your mom said earlier that we could do whatever you wanted to as long as it wasn't drugs," Beca pointed out, chuckling. "But I actually did talk to your parents about it and they said it was okay, so don't worry about it."

"Thanks, Beca. This really means a lot to me," Chloe said, smiling at the girl next to her in the boat.

"We'll have to go in about an hour to make our appointment on time," Beca told her as they continued to pedal the boat around the beautiful lake. "The appointment is at noon, so we'll get some lunch afterwards."

"Where are we going to go for lunch?" Chloe asked. "And don't say Taco Bell. It's my birthday, so I get to pick where we go," the redhead added with a chuckle.

"But there's a Taco Bell right by the tattoo parlor," Beca whined, making a pouty face as well. She then sighed sarcastically. "Fine, I guess we can go where you want, but I'm only agreeing to this because it's your birthday."

"Why don't we go to Cal's Zone? I'm kinda in the mood for some pizza," Chloe said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Cal's Zone sounds good. Not as good as Taco Bell, but it'll do," Beca said with a chuckle, making Chloe chuckle as well.

"I'm really excited to get my tattoo," Chloe said as she pedaled on her side. "I don't know what I'm gonna get, though," she added.

"I've always wanted to get a bug tattoo, and I think that grasshoppers are pretty cool, so that's probably what I'll end up getting," Beca said. "Maybe you could get a bug tattoo too."

"Yeah, maybe," Chloe said, thinking for a few moments. "I've always thought that ladybugs are cute. Maybe that's what I'll get."

"I think that'll suit you," Beca said, smiling. "You're beautiful and graceful like a ladybug, and you love to climb all over people when you cuddle with them," she explained, getting a playful slap on the arm from Chloe.

"You're not like a grasshopper at all. Grasshoppers are pretty big bugs and they can jump really high, but you're small and can't jump very high," Chloe teased with a smirk on her face.

"Who said that my tattoo had to mean anything? This isn't my first tattoo," Beca said, chuckling. "It just so happens that I really like grasshoppers. I just figured since it's your first tattoo, you'd want to get something that has meaning."

Chloe shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think mine is gonna have a specific meaning. It will remind me of you, though, because we'll both have bug tattoos."

"It'll be our little sacred bond," Beca said. "Something that'll connect us even when we head our separate ways," she added as they started to pedal towards the dock.

Chloe nodded and smiled. "Where should we get our tattoos? I was thinking it would be kinda cute if we got them in the same place," she said, blushing a little.

"I'll let you choose since it's your birthday, but just so you know, they're usually less painful on the forearm," Beca said as they got back to the dock. They tied the pedal-boat to the dock and then walked to Beca's car. They drove to the tattoo parlor where Beca always went to get her tattoos and then sat in the parking lot for a little while. "You ready?" Beca asked.

Chloe took a deep breath and then nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready. I'm as ready as I'll ever be," she replied.

"I'll get mine done first so you can watch and see how it's done," Beca said, taking her hand and giving it a soft squeeze before they got out of the car and headed inside. Beca held the door for Chloe and then closed it behind her once she walked inside. The brunette smiled when she saw Tony, the guy who had given her all of her previous tattoos. "Hey Tony!" She called out, waving at him.

"Beca, welcome back!" Tony said. "You're right on time for your appointment. Is this your friend Chloe?" He asked, smiling as he walked up to the brunette and gave her a hug.

"Yeah, this is Chloe. Chloe, this is Tony. He's done all of my other tattoos. I pretty much trust him with my life now," Beca said with a chuckle. "So I figured he'd be the perfect person to give you your first tattoo."

"It's nice to meet you, Tony," Chloe said, smiling and shaking his hand before taking a brief look around the parlor. "I am a bit nervous, but I'm mostly excited."

"Well, that's good. I'm glad you're excited," Tony replied. "Getting a tattoo does hurt, but the amount of pain depends on where the tattoo is and how big it is. Do you know what you're going to get today?"

"I want to get a small ladybug on my arm," Chloe said, pointing to her the spot where she wanted it. "Beca said she would go first so I could see how it's done," she added.

"Then we'll get started right away. You know the drill, Beca," Tony said, leading the brunette over to a chair. "Do you know what you're going to get today?"

Beca nodded her head. "I'm gonna get a grasshopper on my arm in the same spot that Chloe's getting her tattoo," she answered.

Tony then took out a piece of paper and started sketching a grasshopper so he could get an idea of what Beca wanted. After he was done, he showed it to the two girls. "How does that look?" He asked.

Beca looked at the sketch and then at Chloe. Both girls smiled at each other, and then the brunette turned back to Tony. "That looks great. You must be able to read my mind or something, because you always know exactly what I want."

"Great minds think alike," Tony said with a smile. He took the sketch over to his stencil machine and made a stencil to use as an outline for the tattoo before getting started. Tony finished Beca's tattoo in about forty-five minutes and then moved away for a few moments so the girls could see it.

"Wow," Chloe said, amazed by the immense detail that Tony had put into the tattoo. "That looks really cool."

"Yeah, it does. Thanks, Tony," Beca said, smiling at the tattoo artist. Tony then put some ointment on the tattoo and wrapped it in a bandage. After that was done, it was Chloe's turn.

Chloe took a deep breath and then switched places with Beca, laying down in the chair while Tony did a quick sketch of the ladybug. "Do you want this to be colored?" He asked, showing the sketch of the cute little ladybug to Chloe.

Chloe looked at the sketch and then over at Beca. "What do you think, Becs?" She asked. "Should I get it colored?"

"Oh yeah, for sure," Beca said, smiling. "Ladybugs are colorful, so let's keep it that way for the tattoo."

"Sounds good to me," Chloe said, turning to Tony and nodding at him. "I'll get it colored."

"Alright. Let's do this," Tony said with a smile. Just as he had done with Beca's, the tattoo artist made a stencil of the tattoo and outlined it on the redhead's arm before getting started. The redhead used her free hand to reach over and link it with Beca's, squeezing it tightly. Whenever Chloe was feeling nervous, squeezing Beca's hand helped her relax.

Chloe's tattoo took a bit longer, since it was colored. Once he had finished the tattoo, Tony stepped back so Beca and Chloe could look at it. "What do you think?" He asked.

When the redhead saw the final product, a huge smile appeared on her face. "I love it!" She exclaimed, smiling widely. "It looks so good. Thank you, Tony!" She said ecstatically. "Do you like it, Becs?" She asked, showing her friend her tattoo.

Beca smiled and nodded. "I love it, Chlo. It looks great. I told you that it would suit you," the brunette replied. Tony then put some ointment on the tattoo and bandaged it like he had done with Beca's. After that, the brunette paid for their tattoos. "Thanks again, Tony. I really appreciate it."

"It's always my pleasure, Beca. I'm glad that I was able to be of service to you today," Tony said, smiling back at the brunette. "I know you're going off to LA in a couple months, but you better come back once in awhile. Not having you around here is going to be weird."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to visit. This is the only place where I'll ever get a tattoo," Beca told him genuinely. "Thanks again, man," she said, giving him another hug.

"Any time. You two have a great rest of your day," Tony called after Beca and Chloe as they walked out of the tattoo parlor.

"So? That wasn't as bad as you thought it would be, right?" Beca asked as she and Chloe walked out to her car.

"It was really fun. I can't wait to show everyone our tattoos at dinner," Chloe said, smiling as they got into the car. "Thanks, Beca. This really has been a great birthday so far. I couldn't have asked for a better day."

"It's no big deal," Beca said, shaking her head. "You only turn eighteen once, and I wanted to make sure that this was a birthday you'd never forget."

"Well, I know that I'll never forget this birthday," Chloe said genuinely. "It's been amazing, and I couldn't think of anyone else to spend it with."

"I'm glad that you're having such a great time. I'm having a great time too," Beca said with a smile. "Now, let's go to Cal's Zone. It's almost two, and I'm starving."

When they got to Cal's Zone, one of the hosts lead them to a table. "Your server will be right with you," he told them before walking back to the host stand. The two girls sat down at the table and made small talk until their server arrived.

"Hi, my name is Ryan and I'll be serving you this afternoon. What would you two ladies like to drink?" The server asked, opening his notebook and taking out a pen.

"I'll have a water with lemon, please," Beca replied politely.

"And I'll also have a water with lemon, please," Chloe said, looking over at Beca and winking at her.

"Alright, I'll make sure to get you those waters right away. Do you guys know what you'd like to eat, or do you need a few minutes to look at the menu?" Ryan asked.

"I think we'll wait a couple minutes," Chloe answered, opening up her menu as she said that.

"Sounds great. I'll be right back with your waters," Ryan said before walking away from their table.

"So, what are you thinking of getting? I'm probably gonna go with the chicken alfredo pizza," Beca said as she flipped through the menu.

"You know, I was actually thinking the same thing," Chloe said, chuckling a little. "Why don't we share a large chicken alfredo pizza and get some salads from the salad bar?" She suggested. "How does that sound?"

"That sounds good to me if it sounds good to you," Beca replied, smiling at the redhead across the table from her. "You know, if you were just gonna order the same thing as me, we could've ordered our food and drinks at the same time," the brunette pointed out with a chuckle.

"Maybe, but I wasn't sure until you said it. I remember how good that was last time we were here, so I thought it would be a good choice for today as well," Chloe said with a giggle.

Beca chuckled again and then shook her head. "You're so damn adorable. I don't know how it's possible, but you just are."

"I honestly don't get why you think I'm so adorable," Chloe said, shrugging her shoulders. "My giggle sounds kinda annoying to me."

"Well, your giggle sounds cute to me," Beca replied. "As for why I think you're adorable, I could go on and on about that for hours."

"Okay, now you're just trying to make me blush," Chloe said, looking away to hide her reddened cheeks. "What are some things that make me so adorable?"

"Okay, hold up. Do you want me to tell you why I think you're adorable or not? First, you say that I'm just trying to make you blush, but now you want to know why I think you're adorable. What's the deal, Beale?" Beca asked.

"Nice rhyming there, Becs," Chloe said, laughing at her friend. "I never said I wasn't curious to learn what you find cute about me; I just said that you made me blush."

"Oh, gotcha," Beca said, chuckling a little. "Well, one of the reasons why I think you're so adorable is that you insist on not being adorable. You're so oblivious to your adorableness that you become even more adorable, if that makes any sense."

"I guess it does," Chloe said smiling at Beca. "I have to say, I've never heard the word 'adorable' be used that many times in a sentence."

"Is that a problem, Red?" Beca asked, raising an eyebrow at Chloe.

"Did I say it was problem?" Chloe asked. When Beca shook her head, Chloe smiled and continued to talk. "You're so weird, Beca Mitchell."

Beca scoffed a laugh at these words. "Me? Weird? You must've mistaken me for a mirror, Chloe Beale, because you're the weird one."

Suddenly, they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat, and the two girls turned to see Ryan standing there with their waters. "I hate to interrupt your banter," He said cheekily. "Here are your waters. Have you guys figured out what you would like to order?"

"Yes, we have. We're going to share a large chicken alfredo pizza and then get a couple salads from the salad bar," Chloe told him, handing their menus to him once he wrote the order down in his notebook.

"Perfect. I'll get that pizza going for you two lovebirds right away," Ryan said in a friendly tone before putting his notebook away. "The salad bar is self-serve, so go ahead and fill your plates when you're ready."

"Thanks," Chloe said before standing up. "Let's go get our salads, Becs." She turned to the brunette and saw that her face was as red as a rose. "What's wrong with you?" She asked with a concerned voice.

"Did you not hear him? He called us lovebirds!" Beca whisper-yelled, her face getting redder and redder as she spoke.

"So? What's wrong with that?" Chloe asked with a chuckle. "It was just an incorrect assumption on his part."

Beca opened her mouth to say something and then closed it. "Let's go get our salads," she grumbled, furrowing her eyebrows as she headed for the salad bar with an amused Chloe following her.

Chloe decided to tease Beca a little and snuck up behind her, linking her hand with the brunette's and bringing it hand up to kiss it. "You good, Becs?" She asked, leaning over and kissing the girl's cheek after kissing her hand.

As hard as she tried, Beca was unable to keep a smile off of her face. She didn't want Chloe to see, though, so she looked in the other direction and pulled her hand away. "I can't take you anywhere, can I?" She said, using the same grumbly voice from before.

"Oh come on. He made a mistake. It's not a big deal," Chloe said, grabbing a salad plate and chuckling at Grumpy Beca. They got their salads and then returned to their table, Beca still wearing a frown on her face.

When Ryan came back a little while later with their pizza, Beca looked away from him and took a sip of her water. "I hope you two enjoy your pizza," Ryan said before walking away.

"Thank you," Chloe said happily, a big smile on her face.

"Yeah, thank you," Beca said, taking another sip of her water. She took a bite of her salad before grabbing a slice of pizza. She then saw Chloe smirking at her with one of her eyebrows raised. "What?" She asked, her mouth full of pizza.

"Oh, nothing," Chloe said, taking a bite of pizza and then washing it down with a sip of water. She was still smirking, however, and Beca wanted to know what she was smirking about.

"Why are you smirking?" The brunette asked, furrowing her eyebrows at the redhead.

"I just don't get why you're getting all flustered by his one comment," Chloe said. "I mean, I know we're not together, but what's so bad about getting mistaken for being a couple? You're hot, I'm hot, and we're constantly teasing each other. I'm surprised more people haven't mistaken us for a couple before."

"Look, I was just surprised by his comment and got embarrassed, that's all. There's nothing more to it than that, okay?" Beca said, taking another bite of pizza.

"I thought that him saying that was pretty cute, but if being in a 'relationship' with me is too embarrassing for you, I'll stop talking," Chloe said, smiling a little too sweetly at Beca before biting into her pizza again.

Beca rolled her eyes at Chloe, but she was smiling as well. "Just focus on eating your food, which I'm paying for," the brunette said, smirking back at the redhead.

After lunch, Chloe somehow convinced Beca to go see a movie with her the theater. She had wanted to see _Black Panther_ ever since it came out, and she couldn't think of a better time to see it. She ended up having to promise Beca that she'd buy her Taco Bell at some point, which was a promise that the redhead was more than happy to make. The two girls paid for their own tickets and sat towards the back of the theater for the movie.

The movie ended around 5:25, so it was time to head back to Chloe's house for the dinner that her mother was making for her. "That movie was awesome," Chloe said, smiling as they pulled out of the parking lot and started driving back to her house.

"It really was. I don't usually enjoy movies, but I have to admit that one was pretty badass," Beca said as she pulled onto the interstate. "So, what does your mom usually make for your birthday dinner?"

Chloe chuckled. "The question should be: what doesn't my mom make for my birthday dinner?" The redhead corrected. "She never tells me what she's making, but there's always a lot of food. One time she made a shit ton of Chinese food. There were dumplings, rangoons, fried rice, egg rolls, spring rolls, sweet and sour chicken, beef and broccoli, and we had sticky rice and mangos for desert."

"Holy shit, that's a lot of food. It sounds delicious, though. I wonder what she has planned this time," Beca said as she drove down the busy Seattle highway.

"I wish I had any guesses. She really does surprise me every year. I have no idea what will be waiting for us when we walk through the front door," Chloe said, smiling and looking out of the window as Beca drove.

"Well, we'll find out in about ten minutes," Beca said as she took their exit. They pulled into Beca's driveway and then walked over to Chloe's house. "Wow. Whatever it is that your mom made, it smells really fucking good."

"Yeah, it does. I wonder what it is," Chloe thought aloud as she and Beca walked up the front steps of her porch and then into her house.

"Welcome home you two!" Cindy and Patrick called from the kitchen.

The two girls walked into the kitchen and their mouths dropped. There before them was a Mexican feast. Chloe's mother had made street tacos, tamales, mini burritos, tortilla chips, rice, beans, and guacamole. It looked amazing.

"So this is why my mouth was watering as soon as I got out of my car," Beca said, continuing to look in awe at all the food on the table. "How did you manage to make all this in such a short amount of time?" She asked, turning to Cindy.

"I started doing the prep a few days ago," Cindy stated, pouring virgin sangrias for Beca and Chloe. "We're having Tres Leches cake for dessert, so you two better eat up," she added said as she and Patrick sat down.

Chloe and Beca sat across from each other at the table and started digging into the food. They all took part in delightful conversation during the meal. After dinner, Patrick and Cindy surprised Chloe and Beca with two tickets to see Tori Kelly, one of their favorite artists. They then had the Tres Leches cake for dessert, and it was safe to say that everyone was stuffed.

After the meal, Beca and Chloe helped with the dishes before going upstairs to the redhead's room. "Your mom and dad are so awesome. It was really nice of them to get us tickets to see Tori Kelly. She and Beyoncé are my celebrity crushes," Beca said.

"She is pretty amazing," Chloe said, smiling and fiddling with her hands a little bit. "Can I ask you something, Beca?"

"Yeah, of course," Beca replied. "What's up?"

"I'm not trying to beat a dead horse or anything," Chloe said before looking down at her hands. "Were you really that embarrassed when that guy mistook us for a couple?" She asked, sounding a little hurt by the whole situation.

"I mean, kinda," Beca said, scratching the back of her neck. She then saw the look on the redhead's face. "What's wrong, Chlo?" She asked with a concerned voice.

"I just-" Chloe started, trying to find the right words to say. "I don't understand why, I guess. Would you be embarrassed to actually be with me?"

"Of course I wouldn't be embarrassed if I was actually with you, Chlo," Beca said, taking one of Chloe's hands and squeezing it softly. "Being with you would be an honor for me," she added.

A smile slowly spread across Chloe's face, and the girl began to blush as well. "I also have one more question for you," she said, looking down again.

"Okay, and what's that question?" Beca asked, chuckling a little.

"You've already done so much for me today, so I understand if this is too much," Chloe said, biting her lip again. "Will you kiss me?"

Beca blinked a couple times as Chloe's words repeated in her head. "Y-you want me to kiss you?" She stuttered. "Why, if I may ask?"

"I don't know, maybe just because I want you to," Chloe said with a shrug. She noticed that Beca seemed hesitant, so she turned away. "Nevermind, it was a stupid thing to ask anyway," she muttered, getting up and walking over to her dresser to pick out some pajamas.

"Chloe, wait," Beca said, getting up and following the redhead over to her dresser. "I never said that I didn't want to kiss you. I just asked why you wanted me to."

"Do I need a reason?" Chloe asked, closing the drawer once she had picked out her pajamas.

"No, I just-" Beca started. She then stopped, for she didn't have a good answer to Chloe's question. _You know what? Screw it_ , the brunette thought to herself. As Chloe started walking back over to her bed, Beca grabbed her hand and pulled her into a kiss.

The redhead was taken by surprise when Beca kissed her lips, but recovered quickly and kissed Beca back. A warm, fuzzy feeling spread throughout her body when Beca put her arms around her waist. Chloe wrapped her arms around Beca's shoulders and Beca moved her hands down to Chloe's hips as the two girls shared one of the best kisses that either of them had experienced.

Beca slowly pulled away from the kiss a few moments later, needing to catch her breath. She looked into Chloe's eyes and smiled softly. "How was that?" She asked.

Chloe smiled and bit her lip, looking deeply into Beca's eyes. "It was perfect. Thank you," she murmured.

Beca's smile grew when Chloe said this. "Good. I'm glad," she murmured, still gazing into the redhead's eyes. A few moments of silence passed before the brunette spoke again. "Would you be opposed to possibly doing that again?"

"Do you really have to ask that question?" Chloe said, cupping Beca's cheeks and initiating the second kiss. She smiled when Beca gently pushed her back against the dresser, deepening the kiss at the same time.

The second kiss was slower than the first one, the two girls taking their time. Beca broke the kiss for a brief moment and leaned her forehead against Chloe's. "I shouldn't be doing this," she murmured softly. "But I can't help myself."

"Then don't help yourself," Chloe whispered breathlessly. "This can be just for tonight," she said, gazing into Beca's eyes. "I know we can't be together right now, but I also know that I really want to kiss you right now."

"But I don't want this to be just for tonight," Beca whispered back, looking down for a moment. "Kissing you makes me want you more and more."

Silence fell over them once again, the only sound being their heavy breath. "So, what are we going to do?" Chloe said, finally breaking the silence between them.

"I don't know, Chlo," Beca said softly. "What do you think we should do?" She asked.

"Well, the first thing we should do is stop kissing," Chloe said, slowly moving away from Beca. "I wish we could just be together. I hate not being able to be with you."

"I hate it too," Beca said, putting her hands in her pockets and then looking down. "It would just be too hard, you know? You're going to New York and I'm going to LA. We're gonna be on opposite sides of the country. I don't know how we'd make it work."

Chloe went and sat down on her bed, sighing heavily. "I hate this," she said, looking down at her feet. "I want you, Beca, but I can't have you," she stated, running her fingers through her hair. "Of course the one thing I want more than anything is the one thing that I can't have."

Beca went and sat down next to Chloe on the bed. The brunette looked down too and then took one of Chloe's hands in her own, squeezing it gently. "We'll figure it out, Chlo. I know we will," she said in a soft voice, looking over at the redhead sitting next to her.

Chloe just leaned her head on Beca's shoulder, taking a couple deep breaths before speaking again. "Will you stay with me tonight?" She asked, running her thumb along the palm of Beca's hand.

"There's no place I'd rather be," Beca replied, squeezing the redhead's hand again and then leaning over to give her a kiss on the cheek. "We'll have our time, Chloe. I know we will."

 **Beca and Chloe with have their time, that much is for sure. What was your favorite part of this chapter? Let us know!**

 **Until Next time**


	24. Chapter 24: State Champs

Chapter 24: State Champs

"I don't know, Stace," Beca said through the phone as she paced back and forth in her living room. "Would it be weird? I mean, she is single, but it still hasn't been that long since she and Chicago broke up. I just don't know if I should do it or not."

"First of all, I can hear you pacing, so stop. Second of all, Chicago shouldn't have a problem with it if you two go as friends," Stacie said, sitting down on her bed as she talked to Beca through the phone. "If I were you, I would just tell Chicago that you're going to ask her. Tell him that you two are going as friends. I'm sure he'll understand," Stacie pointed out. "He's been really good about seeing you two hang out together."

"I just don't want to hurt his feelings," Beca said, running her fingers through her hair. "I know that he's still hung up on Chloe, and me asking her to prom could make him feel even worse."

"If you don't talk to him, it may make things worse when you and Chloe show up at prom together," Stacie said. "Just tell him that you want to ask her prom. He'll be able to deal with it. If he sees that it makes Chloe happy, then he'll be alright with it."

Beca nodded her head. "Yeah, you're right. Sometimes I tend to overthink things," the brunette said with a chuckle. "Now I have to figure out how I'm gonna ask Chloe to prom.

"I'm sure that you'll come up with a very clever way to ask Chloe to prom," Stacie said, noticing that her friend had calmed down. "But first, you should talk to Chicago. He deserves to know. I don't think he was planning on asking Chloe, but you still need to be up front with him."

"Yeah, I do. He's my best friend, after all," Beca said as she walked over to the couch and sat down. The brunette was silent for a few moments and then spoke again. "I really like her, Stace. I really, really like her."

Stacie smiled through the phone as she listened to her friend go on about Chloe. "You don't say?" She said, chuckling as they continued to talk over the phone. "She said you gave her quite a magical birthday last week."

This comment made Beca blush a little. "She did?" The brunette asked, unable to keep a smile off of her face.

"Oh yeah," Stacie said. "She went on and on about how you guys visited the Space Needle and went pedal-boating and had a paint balloon fight. She then talked how you both got bug tattoos and went to a movie. Chloe said, and I quote, that it was the 'best day ever.'"

"I'm glad that she had a good time," Beca said, her smile growing wider as she recalled the events of that day. "I had a good time, too. A really good time."

"Hey, did you hear Luke is coming back to DJ our prom?" Stacie asked. "Apparently he's been really successful down in LA and the school asked him to DJ our senior prom. It'll be like a little family reunion."

"No, I didn't hear that, actually. Good for him," Beca replied. "I bet you're glad that he's coming back for prom," the brunette added, the smile on her face turning into a smirk.

"That's ancient history," Stacie said, laughing at Beca's remark. "He and I were a hot couple, but I've moved on."

"Sure you have," Beca said in a skeptical tone before chuckling along with her friend. "Maybe you two could reconnect while he's here."

"Maybe, but not in a romantic way. Things ended nicely for us; it wasn't like we had a bad breakup," Stacie said, scratching her head. "Yes, I'll always have a special place in my heart for him, but I don't see myself with him for the rest of my life. We're too much alike."

"That is true," Beca said. "If you're over Luke like you say you are, then is there another guy you've got your eye on?" She asked.

Stacie bit her lip for a moment as she tried to think of how to answer the question. "Yeah, but he only sees me as a friend and is interested in someone else, so there's really no possibility of that happening."

These words made Beca raise her eyebrows. "Wait, what? Who is it? You've got to tell me," the brunette insisted.

"I don't know, Beca," Stacie said hesitantly "He's never going to notice me. Even if he did, we're all going our separate ways after graduation What's the use in stressing about it?"

"Come on, dude. You can't just say that and then not give me an answer," Beca complained. "Besides, if it really doesn't matter, then why don't you just tell me who your crush is?"

"Fine, I'll tell you. But you have to promise not to make a big deal out of it, and you can't tell anyone else." Stacie stated in a firm tone. "You promise me those things, and I'll tell you who it is."

"I promise," Beca said as soon as Stacie finished talking. "Now tell me who it is. I'm dying to know," she added, chuckling a little.

After a moment of silence, Stacie answered Beca's question. "I may or may not have feelings for Chicago," the tall brunette said, closing her eyes and cringing a little.

"Wait, you have a crush on Chicago?" Beca asked, her jaw dropping a little. "Wow, I didn't see that one coming at all."

"Neither did I," Stacie said with a sigh. "I usually go after the bad boys that don't follow rules and have a bunch of tattoos. I never fall for the boy next door."

"Well, things change and people change. I didn't think that Chloe was into girls, but look where we are now," Beca pointed out, chuckling.

"I see your point," Stacie said, scratching her head. "She also told me what happened in her room that night. You two really like snogging, don't you?"

Beca's face turned as red as a tomato when Stacie said this. "So what if we do?" The brunette asked.

"She told me that you two decided to try and stop the occasional makeout session since you guys are going to be living on different sides of the country by the end of August," Stacie mentioned. "But she also said she's never enjoyed kissing someone as much as she enjoys kissing you."

Beca closed her eyes and sighed. "I don't know what to do, Stace. I want to be with her, I really do. I don't know if we'd be able to make long distance work. I'd like to think that we could, but I just don't know."

"Usually I'd say to go for it, but three thousand miles is really far," Stacie said. "If you want my advice, then this is what I have to say: if you two are serious about each other, then ask her if she'll wait for you until she's done with college. I know you'd wait for her, and I'm pretty sure she'd do the same for you. Promise each other that you'll wait for each other until the time is right."

"Do you really think that's my best option?" Beca asked. "I'm not doubting you or anything, I just want to be sure that I'm making the right decision before I do anything," the brunette explained.

"It'll be tough, but I think that it'll be worth it in the end if Chloe agrees to wait for you. However, if she doesn't, I don't know what to tell you," Stacie said, feeling bad for her friend's situation. "For now, I'd just focus on talking to Chicago, the championship game, and figuring out a cute way to ask Chloe to prom."

"Not in that order, though. The championship game is at the top of my priority list right now," Beca said with a chuckle. "Once we win the championship, which I'm confident that we'll do, then I'll worry about talking to Chic and figuring out how I'm gonna ask Chloe to prom."

The next day was the state championship game. The top-seeded Hartford Hawks were going up against the second-seeded Wingate Rams. Both teams were basketball powerhouses, so this going to be one hell of a game. The game was being played at the University of Washington's Alaskan Airlines Arena. This was the biggest stage that Beca would play on in her basketball career, and the brunette was determined to come out victorious.

Chloe was warming up with the cheerleaders when she saw Chicago walking towards her out of the corner of her eye. The two of them hadn't talked in awhile, so Chloe figured that she might as well break the ice. "Hey, Chic," she said, waving at him.

"Hey, Chloe. It's good to actually talk to you again," Chicago said awkwardly, putting his hands the pockets of his jacket. "It's a big day, huh?"

"Yeah, it is," Chloe replied, smiling softly at the boy. "It's been awhile since I was this excited and nervous at the same time."

"Me too. The last time I was this nervous was at the state championship game for football," Chicago said with a chuckle. "I have a feeling Beca and Emily are going to pull off something amazing, though."

"I think you're right," Chloe stated, smiling as she watched Beca take some warm-up shots on the court. She then turned back to Chicago, wondering if she should tell him about her feelings for Beca. He deserved to know how she felt about Beca; the redhead just didn't know how to tell him. "Chic, you want me to be happy, right?"

"Of course I want you to be happy, Chloe," Chicago replied in a genuine voice. "Even though we're not together anymore, I still want what's best for you and I still want you to be happy."

"And I want the same for you," Chloe said, looking down and then taking a deep breath. Besides Stacie, Aubrey was the only one who knew that Beca and Chloe had feelings for each other. Needless to say, this was a big moment for Chloe, since she was about to come out to her ex-boyfriend. "We broke up partly because of you not telling me about Georgia, but there was another reason as to why it didn't work out, and I feel like you should know what that reason is," the redhead stated nervously, taking another deep breath. "I'm into guys...and girls," Chloe said, anxiously awaiting Chicago's response.

"Oh, okay," Chicago said, not sure how to respond at first. He then saw the redhead's face fall, so he scrambled to say something else. "I didn't mean that in a bad way," he added. "Uh, thanks for telling me. It means a lot that you trust me enough to tell me this. Is there a special girl I should know about?" He asked curiously.

Chloe glanced out at the court and looked at Beca as the team began doing their stretches, smiling softly at the brunette before turning back to Chicago. "There is," she admitted, biting her lip. "But we can't be together," the redhead finished, looking down at the floor as she spoke.

Chicago followed Chloe's gaze and saw that she was looking at Beca. He then looked back at the redhead, noticing the sad look on her face. "Why can't you two be together, if I may ask?"

"I'm leaving for New York in August, Chic, and we both know how difficult long distance is," Chloe said. The young girl then bit her lip as she tried to figure out what to say next. "It just sucks, you know? Whenever she holds my hand or smiles at me, I feel like my heart is going to jump out of my chest."

Chicago nodded and then looked down, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Well, I hope you two can work something out," he said, using the same genuine voice he had used before. "I want you to be happy, Chlo, and if being with her will make you happy, then I'm okay with it."

"I'm sorry for laying all this on you at once, but I just thought you should know that our breakup wasn't just your fault," Chloe said, reaching out and taking his hand in hers for a moment. "It was my fault too, and I'm sorry for treating you the way I did for the last month."

Chicago shook his head. "You don't need to apologize. You had every right to do what you did. I treated you like shit. I deserved what I got, quite frankly," he said.

"I'm still sorry, though, because you still treated me well despite everything that happened," Chloe told him. "And I don't think being with you was a waste of time," the redhead added, honesty in her voice. "Also, I know for a fact that you're going to kick ass as a Georgia Bulldog."

Chicago smiled at these words. "Thanks. And I know for a fact that you're going to kick ass as a Juilliard...a Juilliard student," he replied, chuckling a little.

Chloe laughed and then smiled at him. "Thank you," she said before the announcer started talking to get the crowd's attention. "I've gotta go now. It was really nice talking to you, Chic," she said.

"Yeah, it was nice talking to you too," Chicago said, smiling and waving at Chloe before turning to go join the student section, which was in the bleachers right behind the basket.

Down on the court, the teams were introduced and then the players got ready for the start of the game. Beca high-fived her teammates on the bench and then went to the center of the court for the jump ball. She got into her position outside of the center circle and then turned around, finding Chloe among the cheerleaders and smiling at her once they made eye contact. She then winked at the girl, making her blush as red as her hair. The brunette then turned around and got focused, ready for the game to start.

When the game began, Emily tipped the ball back to Beca, who began dribbling it down the court. There wasn't a lot of room for her to make a move in the paint, so Beca faked a shot and got away from her defender. The brunette then spotted up for a three pointer and made it, giving the Hawks their first bucket of the game.

Beca didn't waste any time celebrating, however, and immediately got back on defense. She got in her defensive stance and focused as the Rams' point guard brought the ball up the court. The Rams did end up getting an easy basket, however, as Emily got caught up in an off-ball screen which left the paint wide open for a layup.

The game was pretty even throughout the first half, the two teams going back and forth in terms of scoring. About halfway through the second quarter, the Hawks were leading 33-29. Beca was bringing the ball up and saw an open lane, so she started driving towards the basket. As she was putting up her shot, one of the Rams players stuck their foot out, and the brunette stepped on it as she went up for the shot. Beca's ankle twisted in the opposite direction, causing her to fall to the floor.

Beca yelled out in pain as she hit the floor, and one of the referees blew the whistle, stopping the game. "You okay there?" The ref asked. When the brunette shook her head, the ref looked over to the Hawks' bench and motioned for the team doctor to come over.

Beca lay on her back, covering her face with one hand while the other clutches at her ankle. When she had fallen, it felt like she had sprained her ankle. The team doctor walked over and knelt down beside her, starting to examine her ankle. "Just tell me where it hurts, okay?" He told her as he started applying pressure to her ankle.

"Shit, it hurts right there," Beca said, biting down on her lip and trying to hold in her tears while the doctor continued to apply pressure to her ankle.

"There's a pretty good chance that you sprained your ankle, so we're gonna go back to the training room and reevaluate your injury, okay?" The doctor said. The doctor helped Beca stand up, and Emily came over to help the brunette off the court. As this was happening, Beca received a standing ovation, and she turned to wave to the fans before slowly making her way back to the training room.

Chloe watched as Beca went back, hoping and praying that she would be okay. The redhead looked at Stacie, hoping that the girl would let her go check on Beca. Stacie nodded and gestured for her to go after them, so that's what she did.

"Ow, oww, owww!" Beca yelled as she was lifted onto a table. "I can't be hurt, Doc. I've gotta go back out there and help my team win," the brunette pleaded, desperation in her voice. "This is the last game of my basketball career, and I'll be damned if I can't finish it."

"I know it's frustrating, Beca. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that you get to go back out there and play," the doctor told her in a reassuring voice. "I just need you to sit as still as you can while I examine your ankle. It's going to hurt, but the faster I get this done, the faster you can return to the game."

That's when Chloe came into the training room, where she saw Beca sitting on a table. "Hey, is everything okay?" She asked, sitting in a chair next to Beca and taking one of her hands in hers.

"Does it look like everything's okay?" Beca snapped, her frustration getting the best of her. Her voice then softened, and she spoke again. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I'm just frustrated, that's all."

"It's okay, that was a dumb question anyway," Chloe said with a chuckle, not taken aback by Beca's attitude. She squeezed Beca's hand gently, something that they always did when one of them was hurt or nervous.

After about ten minutes, the doctor sprayed Beca's foot with some numbing spray, wrapping it up in pre-wrap and then some athletic tape. "I want you to start by seeing if you can put weight on it," he said.

The brunette nodded and then got down from the table, slowly putting weight on her ankle. She winced a little at first, but there was significantly less pain than there was before. "It hurts a little bit when I put weight on it, but it does feel a lot better," Beca said.

"Alright, now try walking on it by yourself," the doctor said, scooting his chair back to allow Beca space to move around.

The brunette did as he said and began walking around. Her limp got better with each step, the pain decreasing as well. "How does it look, Doc?" Beca asked, turning to face the doctor.

"Well, it looks like you can walk on it, but what really matters is if you feel good about it. We also need to make sure that you can run," the doctor said, walking over to her. "Jog to the door and back, then tell me how it feels."

Beca nodded and then started to jog towards the door. She felt pretty good, so she started to run faster. While she did feel some pain, it wasn't terrible. Once she made it back to Chloe and the doctor, she gave them both a thumbs up. "I can play," the brunette declared.

Just then, they heard the buzzer sound, signaling the end of the first half. "Alright then," the doctor said. "You head to your team's locker room and tell them you can play. I'm sure they'll be glad to have you back."

"Are you sure that you're alright?" Chloe asked, wanting to be sure that Beca would be okay before she left.

Beca nodded. "I'm sure. It hurts, but I'll live," she replied. "Now go back out there. I don't want to make you late for your halftime performance."

Chloe smiled and then leaned in, kissing Beca's cheek. "Go get 'em, Mitchell," she said before leaving the training room.

Beca blushed for a moment, touching her cheek where Chloe's lips had been. She then walked to the locker room where she found her teammates sitting on the benches and listening to Coach Jefferys as he talked about their play in the first half. He looked up as Beca opened the door and suddenly trailed off, which made the other girls turn to see what he was looking at. "So, what's the news?" He asked.

"I can play," Beca said, smiling widely as she said those words. "I probably have a sprained ankle, but the doctor wrapped my ankle and I'm feeling a lot better now."

"Good, because we need you out there," Coach Jefferys said, patting Beca's shoulder as the team cheered for her.

After the halftime show, the teams went back out onto the court to warm up for the second half. The Hartford student section went wild when they saw that Beca was back on the court and making her shots with ease. Both teams continued warming up until the buzzer sounded, signaling the end of halftime.

Since the Hawks won the jump ball, the Rams got the ball to start out the second half. They missed their first shot, though, and Beca started dribbling up the court once she got the ball. The brunette dribbled to the right side and was a few feet outside of the three point line when she pulled up and took a shot, swishing it through the hoop.

Beca played with fire and passion throughout the second half, playing stellar defense while making shots left and right. The crowd would go wild whenever she scored, making her confidence grow. She and Emily continued to make wonderful passes that created easy shots for their teammates.

It was still a close game, however. The Hawks were down by three with two minutes left in the fourth quarter. Emily inbounded the ball to Beca and the brunette started dribbling down the court, calling out a play at the same time. She then saw Emily running towards the open paint out of the corner of her eye, so she threw her a quick bounce pass. The Hawks were now only down by one after Emily's layup.

Neither teams scored on their next possessions, making it 82-81 with a little under a minute left in the game. The Rams were currently in possession and holding the ball so they could waste as much time as they could. They eventually had to shoot because the shot clock was winding down, and the ball bounced off the rim when they did. Emily jumped up to get the rebound and passed it to Beca, who ran down the court faster than she ever had before. The brunette was triple-teamed when she got to the paint, so she passed it over to Emily, who was wide open under the basket. Emily was swarmed by defenders as soon as she caught the ball, but Beca had managed to get open, so she passed the ball over to her with five seconds left in the game. The brunette set her feet and pulled up from the top of the key, making the game-winning jump shot as the buzzer sounded.

The Hartford fans began cheering wildly at this, realizing that they had just won the state championship. It took a couple seconds for the fact that she had just made a buzzer-beater to win the state championship to sink into Beca's mind, so the brunette just stood there for a couple moments. Reality then hit her when she turned and saw her team running towards her, every one of her teammates screaming with joy. Emily was the first person to get to Beca, and she immediately embraced her. "You did it! You did it, captain! You did it!"

Beca chuckled as she hugged Emily back, feeling her teammates surrounding them to get in on the hug as well. "No, Em, we did it. We all did it," the brunette replied. She then closed her eyes, a huge smile on her face as she took in everything that was happening at the moment.

Some of the fans stormed the court and lifted the girls up in a crowd surf. They had done it. For the first time in ten years, the Hartford Hawks had won the Division 4A Women's State Basketball Championship. Beca chuckled as Jesse, Chicago, and Benji all picked her up and carried her on their shoulders. "Here's our MVP!" Chicago shouted, making the fans go even crazier.

"Okay, that's enough, Chic. Please put me down now," Beca said, chuckling even more as she was carried around by Chicago, Jesse, and Benji. "How'd you guys even get down here? I didn't think they'd let people storm the court at the state championship game."

"Dude, we just won state! They have to let us on the floor!" Jesse said, patting his buddy on the back.

Chloe smiled as she watched Beca talk with the boys, unable to tear her eyes away from the brunette girl. Beca looked over and saw Chloe waving at her. "Excuse me for a minute, you guys. I'll be right back," she said before running over to Chloe, picking the redhead up and spinning her around.

The redhead giggled as Beca spun her around and then hugged her tightly when she put her back down. "You were so awesome, Becs. I'm so proud of you," Chloe whispered in the brunette's ear.

"Thanks," Beca said, holding her close. "Seeing you cheer for me kept me going," she whispered, unable to keep the smile off of her face.

"It did?" Chloe asked, blushing a little at Beca's words.

"Yeah, it did, so you can take some credit for our win," Beca replied with a chuckle. They then pulled back from the hug and Beca took a deep breath. "I can't believe it, Chlo. We won. We're state champs," she stated, tearing up happily. "I haven't felt this alive since the last time I kissed you," Beca said with a chuckle as a couple tears fell down her cheeks.

These words made Chloe blush even more, and the redhead bit her lip before looking down. "That shot you made to win the game was incredible. How on Earth did you do that?"

"I can't take all the credit for the shot. Emily made a great pass. If it weren't for her, we would've won," Beca pointed out. "But to answer your question, I just focused on the shot and tuned everything else out," she added.

"Well, when the trophy presentation is over and we get to your house for the after-party, I have a surprise for you," Chloe said, smiling widely and biting her lip. "How does that sound?"

"That sounds great," Beca said, smiling back at Chloe. "Can I get any hints as to what this surprise is?"

"Nope, you'll just have to be patient," Chloe said, winking at Beca after she said that. Then, the announcer started talking for the trophy presentation. "You better get over there, Mitchell."

"Yeah, I guess I should, huh?" Beca said with a chuckle. She gave Chloe one last hug before she went over to join the rest of the team for the trophy presentation.

The Hartford fans cheered as Beca, who was smiling from ear to ear, lifted up the state championship trophy over her head. The brunette spotted her parents, Henry, and Hailee, while she was scanning the crowd, so she smiled and waved at them. While Beca was holding the trophy over her head, pictures were being taken of her and the team that would be put on the front page of the next day's newspaper.

Beca then got interviewed by a couple Seattle news stations before showering in the locker room and then heading home for the night. The Mitchells were throwing an after-party to celebrate the state championship win and had invited all of Beca's friend group to come over.

When Beca walked into her house, her friends and family instantly started cheering for her. "It's not that big of a deal, you guys," the brunette said with a chuckle as she hung up her jacket on the coat rack.

"Dude, you and Em just won state!" Benji said enthusiastically as he put his arm around Emily.

"Not to mention you were voted the MVP for the regular season," Chicago added, patting his best friend on the shoulder.

Jacob and Cala walked up to their daughter and each gave her a tight hug. "We're so proud of you, sweetheart," Jacob said, kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you, Dad," Beca said, smiling as her father hugged her tightly.

"You played amazing tonight, Beca. I think that your injury might've made you play better," Cala said with a chuckle.

"I couldn't let my team down," Beca said, turning and high-fiving Emily. "It was team effort, and we pulled through," she stated, everyone starting to cheer again.

About an hour later or so, Beca walked up behind Chloe in the kitchen while the redhead was getting a slice of pizza. "So, can I have my surprise now?" She whispered in her ear, placing her hands on Chloe's waist and tickling her a little bit.

Chloe giggled and then tucked some of her hair back behind her ear. The redhead was still wearing her cheerleading uniform for a specific reason. "Meet me up in your room in fifteen minutes," she whispered back, smiling deviously at the girl and then kissing her cheek before leaving the room.

Beca smirked and then grabbed a slice of pizza, watching as Chloe walked out of the room. Fifteen minutes later, Beca excused herself and then went upstairs to her room, finding her door open. "Chlo? Are you in here?" She said as she walked inside.

"Yeah, I am." Chloe then walked out of the brunette's closet, a smirk on her face. "I figured that you deserved a very special gift since you just became a state champion," she said, walking over to Beca. "I'd like to give you a lap dance," the redhead whispered in Beca's ear before nibbling softly on the brunette's earlobe.

"O-oh, okay," Beca stuttered, feeling her face heat up. "I'd like that. I'd really like that, actually," she said, smiling softly and blushing even more.

Chloe lead Beca over to her bed and sat down before throwing a wink her way. She then went and closed the bedroom door, dimming the lights as well. The redhead started playing "All That Matters" by Justin Bieber on her phone and then began to slowly back up towards Beca, swaying her hips softly as she did so.

"Holy fuck," Beca muttered under her breath, practically hypnotized by Chloe. All she could see was the redhead in that moment. "You're so hot," the brunette murmured, watching as the other girl slowly made her way over to her.

The redhead smiled softly at Beca's comments before climbing onto the brunette's bed and slowly crawling towards her. She straddled Beca's lap as the first verse of the song began to play. Chloe took Beca's hands and ran them down her front before letting them rest on her waist. When the chorus came, Chloe began to do slow body rolls, biting her lip in a sexy way as she stared into Beca's eyes.

Beca bit her lip, resisting the urge to moan as Chloe gave her a lap dance. The brunette wanted to look away so the redhead wouldn't see that she was starting to blush, but she couldn't keep her eyes off of her. "Shit, Chlo," she whispered softly, mesmerized by the girl's movements.

A smile tugged at Chloe's lips, and she decided to speed up her hips a little bit. Their hips were now coming into contact with every grind, and Chloe knew she had Beca's full attention. So, to make things even better for the brunette, Chloe slowly took out her ponytail and flipped her naturally-wavy hair a couple times just to make the whole experience better for Beca.

"Chlo," Beca murmured, her breaths now short and ragged. "Chlo, do you have any idea what you're doing to me right now?" She asked, biting her lip when she felt a moan rising up in her throat.

In fact, the redhead did know the effect she was having on the girl beneath her, so she smirked while she continued to give Beca a lap dance. The girl had given a few lap dances to Chicago before, so she was pretty experienced. She grabbed Beca's hands and moved them to a place they'd never been in contact with before: Chloe's ass. She then smiled and started to grind a little harder as the song reached the bride.

"Fuck, this is hard," Beca groaned, leaning her head back and closing her eyes for a few moments. "Chlo, you're doing so many things to me right now. You're making me feel so many things right now," she said, gazing into Chloe's eyes. "You're making it very, very difficult to resist you," she added.

As the third and final chorus played, Chloe decided to give Beca a little strip tease as well. She slowly removed the top of her uniform, leaving her in a red sports bra and blue and white skirt. She saw Beca's eyes go wide at the site of this, which made her smirk. She then began to roll her hips at a slow but super sexy pace, letting Beca take in the view.

When the song finished, Beca was struggling to catch her breath. Her heart was racing, and she felt a blush creep up onto her cheeks for what seemed to be the millionth time. "Chlo," she said softly, panting a little. "That was incredible. Absolutely incredible."

"I wanted us to have our own little private celebration," Chloe whispered back. She too was breathing heavily from the lap dance. The girl then took Beca's hands and let them rest on her now-bare waist. "You deserved an incredible lap dance after the incredible game you played," she murmured, smiling softly as Beca's nails softly scratched against her skin.

"Have I mentioned how hot you are?" Beca said absentmindedly as her eyes wandered all over Chloe's body. The brunette then made eye contact with the redhead, her gaze moving back and forth between her eyes and her lips.

This made the redhead giggle a little, and she nodded. "Yeah, you've mentioned it once or twice," Chloe said, tucking a few stray pieces of her hair back behind her ear and looking down for a moment. She smiled at Beca and leaned down to press a gentle kiss to the brunette's lips. "Congratulations, Becs," the redhead mumbled once she pulled away.

"Chlo?" Beca whispered, looking up into the redhead's eyes. Once she had the other girl's attention, she continued. "What is this? I mean, what are we?" She asked.

"What do you want it to be?" Chloe asked, looking directly at Beca. She tucked some of the brunette's hair back and awaited her answer.

"I really care about you, Chlo," Beca started. "And I really want to be with you. Hell, I want to be with you so bad that I'd be willing to try long distance if it meant we could be together."

Chloe was silent for a moment, thinking about what Beca had just said. After a silence that seemed to last forever, she finally spoke. "Then why don't we give it a try?"

"Wait, what?" Beca asked. "You want to give it a try?"

"Yeah, I do," Chloe said, smiling softly at Beca. "I want to be with you, Beca. I don't care if we're going our separate ways. I want us to have our time."

Beca smiled widely at these words and then leaned up, pressing a sweet kiss to the redhead's lips. "I want us to have our time, too. This is our time," she murmured against the other girl's lips, a smile still on her face.

Chloe's heartbeat started to go faster, and she couldn't help but smile into the kiss as well. She cupped Beca's cheeks and deepened the kiss, her heart filled with an immense amount of joy. After a moment, she pulled away. "I don't want to rush things between you and I. I want to take it slow; all my other relationships moved too fast, and I want to do this one right."

"I want to do this one right too. You mean the world to me, Chlo. I don't want to screw this up," Beca said, gazing deeply into the redhead's eyes. "Let's make the most of these next few months."

Chloe smiled and then leaned down and kissed Beca on the lips again. "Can we make out now?"

"Hell yeah we can," Beca said, flipping them over so that Chloe was now laying down. Beca ran her hands along Chloe's sides, gazing into her eyes for a moment before leaning down and kissing her neck gently, knowing that this was something Chloe enjoyed. She then nibbled on her skin before moving to kiss Chloe's lips, slipping her tongue inside her mouth.

"Mmm," Chloe hummed in approval of the kiss as their lips moved together in perfect sync. The redhead allowed the brunette's tongue to explore her mouth for a bit before pulling away to catch her breath. "You're such a good kisser, Becs."

"So I've been told," Beca whispered with a smirk. She then leaned down and pressed gentle kisses along Chloe's collarbone before moving up kiss her neck. "I've also been told that I'm an expert at finding girls' weak spots," the brunette mentioned before tucking some of the redhead's hair out of the way so she could leave some kisses right under the redhead's ear.

"Really?" Chloe said, raising an eyebrow. "If you're so good at finding weak spots, then why don't you prove it?" The redhead challenged, smirking at the brunette.

Beca turned Chloe's head to the side so she had more access to the left side of the girl's neck. She mixed it up a little by licking her skin a few times and then switching back to kisses. Her lips then moved right behind Chloe's ear and she began to suck on it, instantly hearing a moan escape from Chloe's lips. Beca then continued to suck on that particular point on her skin. "I think I found it." She whispered before continuing to suck on Chloe's skin.

"How did you find it that fast?" Chloe asked, chuckling a little before moaning again as Beca continued to suck on her weak spot.

"I told you that I was an expert at finding weak spots," Beca replied, chuckling along with Chloe. She sucked on the redhead's weak spot for a little while longer before reconnecting their lips in a passionate kiss.

Chloe cupped Beca's cheeks and kissed her back, smiling as she did so. Something about Beca's kisses made her feel alive, as if she was immortal or something. Beca's lips were magical—because whenever they kissed, Chloe couldn't get enough of them. She slid her tongue across Beca's bottom lip to ask for entrance.

Beca granted Chloe's request and allowed the redhead's tongue to explore her mouth. "So much for taking it slow, huh?" The brunette mumbled against the other girl's lips, chuckling a little as well.

This made the redhead laugh and pull back. "We don't have to go further than this. I just figured we could let ourselves have a little fun," Chloe told her. "I mean, what's a makeout session without a little tongue kissing?" She added with a giggle.

"You do have a point there," Beca said, smiling at Chloe's cute giggle. The brunette leaned her forehead against the redhead's for a few moments and then spoke again. "So, if you're going to be my girlfriend now, I guess we should probably go on a date at some point."

"Probably," Chloe said, smiling up at Beca. She smiled up at Beca and gazed into the midnight blue eyes. "I'm your girlfriend now," She said, unable to keep the huge smile off her face.

"Yeah, you are. And I couldn't be happier now that I get to call you mine," Beca murmured back, leaning in and giving Chloe a quick peck on the lips.

Chloe held Beca close to her, smiling softly. She softly traced Beca's cheek with her thumb, unable to tear her eyes away from the girl. Her heartbeat was steady, and Chloe couldn't help but let a couple happy tears fall down her cheeks. "I've never felt this way about anyone before."

"I can say the same thing," Beca said, smiling and then wiping away the tears with her thumb. "You make me so damn happy, Chlo. I've never been this happy in my whole life."

 **YAYYYY! Bechloe at last! Do you think they'll try and do long distance, or will this be a four month fling? Stay tuned to find out!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	25. Chapter 25: Coming Out

Chapter 25: Coming Out

"Mmmm, Chlo," Beca groaned as her girlfriend walked up behind her and started kissing her neck. "Babe, I'm trying to write a song…" She then trailed off, allowing the redhead to continue. One thing Beca had found out about Chloe was that the girl knew how pull Beca's attention away from anything. Not that the brunette was complaining or anything; she really enjoyed the neck kisses and the earlobe nibbles and whatever else Chloe used in order to get her attention. "That feels nice," she murmured as Chloe continued to leave kisses on her neck. Beca then started closing her laptop and then swiveled her chair around, pulling her girlfriend of one month onto her lap.

Chloe giggled and then wrapped her arms around Beca's neck as she straddled her girlfriend. "I know you don't like being interrupted when you're working on music, but I figured that you wouldn't mind being interrupted by me," the redhead said, giggling again.

"You're right about that," Beca said before leaning up and kissing Chloe's lips gently. She sighed with content as she pulled away, running her hands along Chloe's legs. "So, how was cheer practice today?" The brunette asked, smiling up at the redhead.

"It was good. How's your song coming along?" Chloe asked, smiling down at her girlfriend.

"Good. It's not finished yet, but I think you'll like it once I'm finished with it," Beca said, tilting her head to one side. "This last month has been fucking amazing with you by my side."

Chloe nodded her head. "Amazing is an understatement. I haven't been this happy in a long time," she said, smiling and blushing a little. "I'm really glad that we gave us a chance," she added a few moments later.

"When are we gonna tell our parents?" Beca asked, knowing Chloe was hesitant to come out to her family. It wasn't because her parents wouldn't be supportive—the Beale's were a very loving and accepting family. It was just a big step for anyone to take, and Beca wanted to that Chloe was one hundred percent ready when they told their parents. "I'm not trying to push you or anything. I was just wondering if you're closer to being ready."

Chloe bit her lip and looked down for a moment. "I don't know, Becs," she said quietly. "I do want to tell them. It's just that I don't really know how. I mean, I've already come out to a couple people, but they're my friends. I feel like coming out to my family is going to be different."

Beca lifted Chloe's chin so they were looking into each other's eyes again, and she leaned in to give her girlfriend a kiss on the forehead. "Don't worry about it. The great thing about this is you don't have to tell them until you're ready to," the brunette told the redhead, trying to reassure her. "And when you do tell them, they'll be more than accepting. I know they will," she stated. "Your parents are great people, and they will love you no matter who you love."

Chloe nodded, feeling tears start to well up in her eyes. The redhead quickly blinked them away before they could fall, though. "I know that they'll be okay with it, but I'm still nervous," she said, looking down again. "I'm sorry. This is stupid. I shouldn't be worrying about this."

"Hey, look at me," Beca said, tilting the redhead's chin up with her finger. "This isn't stupid, it's completely normal. I've known my entire life that my parents would love me no matter what, and it still took me forever to come out to them. I was terrified to come out to them even though I knew they would still love me. This is a big step, and it's not stupid to worry about it a little. I didn't come out to them until I had been dating Olivia for three months."

"How did you tell your parents?" Chloe asked. "Like, did you just tell them straight up?"

"Well, we were out for dinner because it was my mother's birthday. I had been meaning to tell them for a long time, so I finally decided to do it. After dessert, I told them that the reason that I'd been spending so much time with Olivia lately was because we were dating," Beca said, recalling the memory as if it had happened yesterday. "And then I told them that I was gay."

"How did they react when you told them? Like, what did they say?" Chloe asked, biting her lip.

"They said that they knew I had a secret, and they weren't really surprised," Beca started, biting her lip for a moment. "But then they told me that they will always love me no matter what, and we all shared a group hug," she said, smiling at the memory.

Chloe smiled softly as she listened to Beca speak. "I hope that's how my parents react when I tell them. I know that they'll be supportive, but I just can't help but worry that they might not be."

"I worried about that too, but they won't be. Everytime I come to your house, I see them watching _The Ellen Show_ ," Beca said with a chuckle before leaning in and kissing Chloe's lips. "You don't have to tell them right now. But the sooner you do, the sooner you'll feel a weight lifted off your shoulders."

Chloe nodded and then leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Beca's waist in an embrace. Chloe then rested her chin on the brunette's shoulder and closed her eyes for a moment. "Thanks for listening to me, Becs. I appreciate it," she murmured.

"What are girlfriends for?" Beca whispered before pressing a soft kiss against Chloe's lips. She then stood up and held Chloe in her arms before they fell on the bed and started making out.

"Well this certainly escalated quickly," Chloe said, giggling and then letting out a moan as Beca started kissing her neck.

"You can say that again," Beca murmured back, instantly moving her lips to Chloe's weak spot and sucking on her soft skin. "I haven't gotten to makeout with you these last couple days. Can you blame me?" She mumbled as she kissed Chloe's neck.

"No, I really can't," Chloe said, smiling and running her hands through Beca's hair, tugging at it gently.

Beca's hand went to the other side of Chloe's neck to hold her in place as her lips sucked a few hickeys onto the girl's neck. "I love hearing you moan. It's seriously the hottest sound I've ever heard," the brunette said, moving her lips back to the redhead's in a fiery kiss.

"I love it when you make me moan. Then again, you don't have to do much to make me moan," Chloe mumbled against Beca's lips, cupping her face with her hands as they kissed.

"I know, and I love it," Beca whispered before letting Chloe's tongue explore her mouth. Her hand ran along Chloe's inner thigh, just to tease her a little. The girls had decided to wait awhile before they had sex, but Beca still knew ways to have fun with her girlfriend while making out with her. She wrapped one of Chloe's legs around her waist and then snuck her tongue into Chloe's mouth, engaging in a tongue battle.

"Mmm," Chloe hummed as their tongues battled for dominance. She ran her hands up and down Beca's sides as they kissed, their lips moving together for quite some time until they both pulled back to catch their breath. "Wow. You're a really good kisser. Definitely the best kisser I've ever known," she mentioned, chuckling a little as she caught her breath.

"Don't tell Chicago that," Beca replied, chuckling before moving her lips to Chloe's chest, leaving gentle kisses along her skin. "But thank you," she added as she softly ran her tongue up the side of Chloe's neck and then sucked on her earlobe before kissing her girlfriends lips again.

"Seriously, though. I don't understand how you're this good of a kisser. You'll have to give me some lessons some time," Chloe said, winking at Beca.

"Maybe I just know what girls like because I myself am a girl." Beca said, smiling when Chloe winked at her. "You're definitely the best kisser I've ever had the pleasure to kiss."

"I'm glad that you enjoy kissing me as much as I enjoy kissing you," Chloe said, smiling back at Beca.

"Well then, shall we get back to that?" Beca said, smiling before tucking Chloe's hair back.

"Of course," Chloe giggled before pulling Beca back down into a kiss.

Later that day, Chloe went back home to join her parents for dinner. Her mind kept going back to when Beca had told her about coming out to her parents, and what a beautiful story it was.

"Hi, sweetie! Go wash your hands because I'm going to be serving dinner in a couple minutes," Cindy said, smiling at her daughter when she walked into the house.

"Okay, sounds good!" Chloe said before going to the bathroom to wash her hands. She stood in front of the bathroom mirror for a moment, taking a few deep breaths. This was it—she was going to tell her parents that she was bisexual. Her heart was racing and she felt as if her heartbeat was pounding in her ears. She then took one more deep breath before going out to join her family.

Patrick and Cindy were already sitting at the table when Chloe came out to join them. "Hey, sweetie. How was cheer practice today?" Patrick asked, smiling at his daughter.

"It was great. I mean, we're just training the underclassmen for next year since we don't have any sports to cheer for right now," Chloe said, smiling before they started eating their dinner.

Throughout the dinner, Cindy could tell that something was troubling her daughter. At first, she thought that she'd say something, but then she decided to save it for when they finished dinner. "Sweetheart, you seem a little tense. Is everything okay?"

Chloe nodded her head. "Yeah, everything's okay. I'm fine." The redhead then paused for a few moments, closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths to calm herself. She then looked back up at her parents and spoke again. "Mom, Dad. I have something to tell you."

"Alright. What do you want to tell us, darling?" Patrick asked, reaching over and taking one of her hands. He offered a kind smile to his daughter, hoping it would make things easier for her.

Chloe smiled back at her father and took another deep breath before answering his question. "So, you know how I've been spending a lot of time with Beca lately?" When both her parents nodded, the redhead continued. "Well, there's a reason for that. The reason is...we're dating."

Patrick and Cindy turned and smiled at each other before turning back to their daughter. Cindy was the first to speak. "For how long, sweetheart?" She asked sweetly.

"We've been together for a month," Chloe said, smiling and blushing a little bit. "Also, I want you to know that I'm bisexual."

Patrick smiled at her, happy tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm so proud of you, Chloe, and I hope you know that your mother and I will love you no matter what," he told her, squeezing his daughter's hand.

Chloe teared up happily at her father's words. "Thank you, Dad. You have no idea how much it means to hear you say that," she replied, a few tears falling down her cheeks.

"We're very happy that you told us," Cindy said, smiling at her daughter. "What made you realize that you're into both guys and girls?" She asked curiously.

Chloe scratched the back of her neck. "I don't really know. I think it was Beca, to be honest. I have feelings for her that I've never had for anyone else," she answered. "She's so amazing, and she's helped me realize who I am."

"We're happy to hear that," Cindy said, wiping her own tears as well. "And I'm so glad you came out to us, darling. That's a very brave thing to do."

Chloe smiled at her mother's words. "I wouldn't have been able to do it without Beca. I told her that I wanted to come out to you guys, and she gave me a pep talk earlier that made me feel a lot less nervous."

"Well, she must've given you a good pep talk then," Patrick replied, smiling widely

Chloe smiled back and then shared a group hug with her parents. They held each other tightly as they savored this moment. Just like Beca had said, telling her parents had lifted a huge burden off of her shoulders. After that, Chloe ran up to her room and called Beca.

Beca was watching _The Incredibles_ with Henry and Hailee when she felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. She took her phone out and saw that Chloe was calling, so she accepted the call and then went into the other room. "Hey, Chlo. What's up?"

"I told them, Becs!" Chloe exclaimed happily, unable to stop the smile from spreading across her face. "I came out to my parents, and they were okay with it."

"You did? That's awesome, Chlo. I'm so proud of you," Beca replied, unable to stop herself from smiling as well. "I told you that they'd be fine with it, didn't I?"

"And you were right about that weight being lifted off of my shoulders. It feels so good," Chloe said, smiling as she thought about what had just happened. "Thank you for giving me that pep talk earlier. It made telling them a lot easier."

"I'm glad that the pep talk helped, but you don't need to thank me for it. I was just doing my job," Beca replied.

"I'm still gonna thank you, babe." Chloe said smiling widely before taking a deep breath. "How are the twins?" She asked.

"They're good. They're watching _The Incredibles_ right now," Beca said, getting up and walking back into the living room to check on them.

"I love that movie, it's one of Pixar's best if you ask me." Chloe said, smiling as she spoke. "So, have you gotten your father to agree to come to the next concert yet?"

Beca sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "No, I haven't. I told him about it and he said he'd think about it, but he hasn't mentioned it since."

"He'll come around, babe." Chloe said, laying down on her bed. "I know he will. I have a feeling that he's going to give you a chance. He did it with basketball, maybe now he'll do it with the band."

"I don't know, Chlo," Beca said, scratching the back of her head. "He seems hellbent on never coming to one of Trio's shows."

Chloe sat there for a moment, upset that Beca didn't feel like her father would never give her dreams a chance. "Just keep faith that it will happen, Beca. He loves you, and he'll come to his senses sooner or later."

"He hasn't come to a show before, and I've been performing for almost four years now. I should've known better by now," Beca said, shaking her head.

Chloe sighed and bit her lip. "I'm sorry, babe. I really am. You're going to prove him wrong when you get to LA," she said, trying to cheer Beca up.

"Yeah, I hope so," Beca said. After a few moments of silence between the two, the brunette spoke up. "So, what are you up to right now?"

"Besides talking my favorite person on Earth? Not much," Chloe said, smiling to herself. "How's that song coming?" She asked.

"It's coming along pretty well. I worked on it a little bit more, and it should be done within the next week or so," Beca replied.

"Well, I can't wait to hear it, babe. I know it'll be amazing," Chloe said with a big smile on her face. "Your songs are so amazing. I really love 'Locked Out of Heaven' and 'Hope For Me Yet.'"

"Yeah, those are some pretty good ones," Beca said, smiling softly. "I don't know if I have a favorite song that I've written. I like them all equally."

"Is there any one song that you wrote for me that's your favorite?" Chloe asked, giggling a little bit.

"Is that supposed to be a trick question? A lot of the songs that I've written are for you," Beca said with a chuckle.

"I know, but do you have a favorite love song that you wrote for me?" Chloe asked with a chuckle.

"I may have a favorite love song that I've written for you, or I may not," Beca said. "And this favorite song may or may not be the one I'm working on right now," the brunette added.

"Oh yeah?" Chloe said, smiling and biting her lip. "I can't wait to hear it then? Is it a romantic song or a sexy song?" She asked.

"I'm not gonna spoil it before I'm done with it, silly goose," Beca replied, chuckling. "You'll just have to wait and see."

"Oh come on, one little hint. Will it make me blush? Or will it make me want to make out with you?" Chloe asked, hoping she could get one tiny hint out of Beca.

"Okay, fine. I'll give you one hint," Beca said, rolling her eyes. "The song is hopefully going to make you blush and want to make out with me. There, that's your hint."

"Ooh, so it's romantic and sexy," Chloe said, giggling a little after she finished talking. "I'd make out with you no matter what, though," she stated confidently.

"That's good. I'll always be more than happy to make out with you," Beca said with a smile. "As a matter of fact, I'd love to make out with you right now."

"Then why don't I come over there? It's Friday night anyways," Chloe said, a devious smirk tugging at her lips.

"Alright, I'll see you soon then," Beca said, a smirk on her face as well.

Within a minute, Chloe was over at Beca's house, where the brunette pulled her into the bathroom near the living room. Their lips were connected instantly and Beca's hands started wandering around Chloe's body.

"Why are we in the bathroom near the twins?" Chloe asked with a chuckle.

"I want to be close by in case they need anything," Beca explained, lifting Chloe up onto the counter and wrapping Chloe's legs around her waist while they made out.

"Oh, gotcha," Chloe said, giggling a little as she and Beca kissed passionately. The redhead ran her fingers through the brunette's hair, tugging at the ends of it. "Mmm," she hummed, wrapping her arms around Beca's shoulders.

"I'm never going to get sick of this," Beca mumbled against Chloe's lips as her hands ran up and down Chloe's sides underneath her shirt. Their tongues battled for dominance as the heated makeout session continued, making both girls moan softly every now and then.

"Me neither," Chloe mumbled back, tilting her head to the side when Beca moved her lips to her neck and began sucking on her skin.

Beca's nails scratched slightly at Chloe's skin while she left little love bites along her neck. Her hands moved around to the dip in Chloe's back and she let out a soft growl at how beautiful her girlfriend was. "Your body is my wonderland," the brunette whispered into the redhead's ear before sucking on her weak spot.

"As good as this feels, I don't want us to get too carried away," Chloe murmured, biting her lip as she pushed Beca's head down closer to her skin.

"Don't worry, I'll keep it under control," Beca whispered, scratching along the dip in her back as her lips moved across Chloe's chest to the other side of her neck.

"Are you sure about that?" Chloe asked with a soft chuckle. "I'm just kidding. I know you will, Becs."

"The real question is: can you handle it?" Beca whispered before smashing her lips to Chloe's in a passionate kiss. Her hands moved her to Chloe's thighs, where they began to gently massage her skin.

"That's what we're going to find out," Chloe said, resisting the urge to moan by closing her eyes and biting down on her lip.

"Have you ever had naughty dreams about me?" Beca whispered in the redhead's ear, letting her hands just roam all over Chloe's body. "I bet you have."

"What makes you think that I have?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking a little bit.

"I don't know, I just like to imagine that you have," Beca said with a chuckle, playing with Chloe's top a little. "I've had dreams about you moaning my name while I give you the best sex you've ever had," she whispered, kissing her girlfriend's neck a few more times. "And by the end of my dreams, you're screaming my name when you cum," she added, nibbling on the girl's earlobe.

Chloe closed her eyes and bit her lip again. She had to admit that Beca's words, along with everything else that the brunette was doing, had really turned her on. "It sounds like you've had quite a few naughty dreams about me," the redhead remarked, smirking and then blushing.

"Chlo, you have no idea," Beca mumbled, pulling back for a few moments to make sure that she didn't get carried away. She then leaned back in and connected their lips in a gentle yet loving kiss.

"Would you like to give me some idea, then?" Chloe asked, breaking the kiss so she could gaze into Beca's eyes.

"You want me to show you some of the things that have happened in my dreams?" Beca asked, raising an eyebrow at her girlfriend.

"Maybe just a few things. Again, I don't want us to get carried away," Chloe replied, winking at Beca. "If you don't want to, I understand," she added.

"Are you kidding? Of course I want to show you some things that I did to you in my dream," Beca said, smirking when Chloe winked at her. "What would you be okay with?" She asked. "What would feel good to you not get you super turned on? I just want know what I'm working with."

"Why don't you surprise me?" Chloe suggested. "If I get too turned on, I'll let you know and we can stop. Does that sound good?"

"Sounds good to me," Beca said before the kissing recommenced. The brunette unbuttoned the redhead's shirt a little and slipped her hands under her bra, squeezing her breasts softly before starting to massage them. She moved her lips to Chloe's neck and left many love bites on the girl's skin while her hands continued their ministrations.

"Oh Beca," Chloe moaned softly, trying to be as quiet as possible since Henry and Hailee were in the next room over. "Shit, that feels so good," the redhead groaned, closing her eyes and biting her lip.

Beca smirked at Chloe's reaction and began kissing down the redhead's chest, unclasped her bra so it was easier for her to knead the girl's breasts. The brunette kissed down Chloe's stomach and then slowly licked up her abs, moving her hands around to Chloe's ass as she did so. Beca squeezed her ass before reconnecting their lips in a deep kiss.

Chloe was about to let out another moan when there was a knock at the door. Both girls froze, neither one of them moving or making a sound. "Beca? Are you in here?" Hailee asked.

"Uh, yeah. What's up Haiz?" Beca replied, trying to keep the smile off her face.

"I need to go pee," Hailee said in the sweetest voice possible.

"Alright, Haiz. We'll be out in a second," Beca said, giving Chloe some time to fix her clothes before opening the door.

"Why is Chloe in here with you?" Hailee asked curiously.

"Oh, uh, I was helping her take off her makeup since it was bugging her face," Beca explained, cringing a little as she spoke. "The bathroom is all yours now, sweetie."

"Okay, thanks!" Hailee said, smiling at Beca and Chloe before walking into the bathroom.

When the door closed, Beca turned to Chloe with an embarrassed expression on her face. "Well, that was awkward," she said, looking down and scratching the back of her head.

"It was actually pretty cute," Chloe said, smiling and leaning against the wall. "If it's any consolation, I really enjoyed what you were doing back there," she mentioned, pulling Beca close to her and pressing a sweet kiss to her lips.

"I'm glad that you enjoyed it, babe. Maybe we'll get to continue some other time," Beca said, smiling into the kiss. "Do you want to go watch the rest of _The Incredibles_ in the living room?"

"I would love to," Chloe said, letting Beca lead her to the living room. They sat down on the couch next to Henry and Beca put her arm around Chloe's shoulder.

"Hi, Chloe!" Henry said, crawling over to the other side of the couch so he could give the girl a hug.

"Hey, Henry! How are you?" Chloe asked, hugging the little boy when he crawled over to her.

After they hugged, Henry sat in Chloe's lap. "Good! We're watching _The Incredibles_!" He said, smiling widely at the redhead.

"Yeah, Beca told me. Did you know that _The Incredibles_ was one of my favorite movies as a kid?" Chloe said to Henry with a smile.

"I can't wait to see _The Incredibles 2_ ," Beca said smiling as Hailee came back from the bathroom and sat on her lap.

"Maybe we could all go see it when it comes out," Chloe said, grabbing the remote for the TV and pressing the play button.

"I'll hold you to that," Beca said, slipping her hand into Chloe's. "We can take Henry and Hailee with us."

"I figured that we would be taking them with us. That's why I said we'd all go see it," Chloe said, chuckling a little.

"Oh, right. I totally knew that," Beca said, chuckling along with Chloe even though she was mentally facepalming herself.

On Monday, Chicago was lifting weights in the workout room at school when Beca walked in. It was time for the brunette to tell him about her plan of taking Chloe to prom. Chicago knee that Chloe was bi, but he didn't know that she and Beca were dating. Stacie and Aubrey knew of the girls' feelings for each other, but Stacie was the only one who knew they were together.

Beca took a deep breath as she approached Chicago. "Hey, Chic," she said, waving at him to get his attention. "Can I talk to you about something really quick?" She asked.

Chicago, who was now doing pull-ups, stopped what he was doing when he heard Beca's voice. He then turned his head and saw the brunette standing there. "Hey, buddy," He said, finishing his set of pull-ups before hopping down and using a sweat towel to wipe the sweat off of his face. "Ask away. What's up?"

Beca put her hands in her pockets and looked down at the floor for a couple moments before looking back up at Chicago. "I was planning to do something, and I wanted to run it by you to make sure that you were okay with it before I did it," she started.

"Okay, what is it that you want to run by me?" Chicago asked, sitting down on one of the lifting benches as he took a sip from his water bottle.

Beca took a deep breath before answering his question. "I want to ask Chloe to prom," she said, anxiously awaiting his reaction.

"Oh," Chicago said, a bit shocked by Beca's words. "That's, that's uh-" he started, trying to find the right words to say. "That's great. Of course that's alright with me. Would you two be going as friends?"

Beca bit her lip and then shook her head. "Chloe and I are actually dating now. We have been for a month."

"Oh, so you two are together now," Chicago said, nodding his head and looking down for a moment. "That's cool, I guess." There was a moment of silence before he spoke again. "Why did you two hide this from me for so long?"

"W-we weren't trying to hide it from you," Beca stuttered. "You're the second person to know, actually. Stacie is the only other person who knows."

"Oh, so guys were just keeping it on the down-low. I get it," Chicago said, putting on the best smile he could. Truth be told, he was still getting over Chloe, and this news wasn't easy to hear. Despite this, he put on a good face anyways because he didn't want to keep Beca from asking Chloe to the prom. "If you want to ask her to the prom, that's fine with me. I mean, she's not my girlfriend anymore."

Beca nodded. "I know, I just wanted to let you know so you weren't surprised by it or anything, that's all," the brunette replied with a shrug of the shoulders.

"Yeah, thanks. I appreciate it, Beca," Chicago said before putting some tape on his hands. "Really, it's okay. If Chloe's happy, I'm happy," he stated, even though it pained him to say it.

"Alright, cool," Beca said, smiling softly. "Well, I'm gonna head out now. Have a good rest of your workout."

"Thank you," Chicago said before waving at Beca as she left the room. Chicago showered after his workout and then changed into some jeans and a gray hoodie. He grabbed his bag from his locker and sprayed himself with just a bit of cologne before heading out to the vending machine to get a gatorade. Chicago then spotted Chloe talking to her cheerleading coach, his heart hurting a little as he looked at her. He looked away when she saw him and then grabbed his gatorade before walking off, only to have the redhead catch up to him.

"Chic, wait up!" Chloe called after the boy, walking faster so that she could catch up to him.

Chicago turned around when he heard Chloe say his name. "Hey, Chloe," he said, a half-smile on his face. "What's up?" He asked.

"I just thought I'd come and say hi. I haven't seen you in awhile." Chloe said smiling kindly.

"Well, I've been really busy making sure that I'm fit for pre-season at Georgia, so..." Chicago trailed off and then paused for a few moments before speaking again. "What about you?"

"I've been busy with cheerleading. Right now we're just training the underclassmen so they're ready to take our places next year," Chloe said. "So, when are you heading off to Georgia?"

"The middle of July," Chicago answered, taking a sip of his gatorade. He then looked down at the floor and scratched his head. "So, you're dating Beca now?"

Chloe blinked a couple times and then slowly nodded her head. "Uh, yeah. How did you find out?" She asked.

"Beca told me not too long ago, actually," Chicago said, leaning against the wall. He bit down on his tongue for a moment as he thought of what to say. "Is she good to you?" He asked, even though he already knew the answer.

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, she is," the redhead answered, smiling softly as she said those words.

"Good," Chicago replied, clearing his throat as he tried to not get choked up. "Because if she wasn't I'd have to kick her ass," he said, smiling the best he could.

Chloe chuckled. "Don't worry, you won't have to kick her ass," she said, her smile growing wider.

For a moment, Chicago was silent. Chloe was happy with Beca, so he wasn't going to screw things up between them. But something he had said to Beca was now ringing in his ears. _If Chloe's happy, then I'm happy._ As much as he wanted to be happy, he couldn't help but feel his heart ache underneath the surface of his chest.

The two stood there in silence for a few more moments before Chloe spoke up. "Well, I should probably get going now. It looks like you were heading home as well," she said. "It was nice to talk to you again, Chic."

"Yeah, it was nice to talk to you too," Chicago said, nodding his head and smiling. Right as Chloe turned to leave, Chicago spoke again. "When did you start having feelings for her?" He asked.

"W-what?" Chloe stuttered, a little surprised by Chicago's question. "Um, I don't know. I think that the feelings were there for a long time, but I just didn't realize that they were there until recently," she said, looking down at the floor.

Chicago nodded his head again, knowing that the more questions he asked about Chloe's relationship with Beca, the more pain he would feel. "Oh, okay," he said simply, smiling softly. "I'll see you around, Chloe," the boy added before turning around and walking out of the door towards his car.

Beca was waiting outside for Chloe since she would be giving her a ride home. "Hey, babe. How was practice?" She asked, smiling and giving her girlfriend a quick peck on the lips when she walked over to her.

"It was good. It's hard to believe that there's only a few more cheer practices of the year," Chloe said, smiling back at Beca. She then leaned in and connected their lips again, this kiss longer than the previous one. "Thanks for giving me a ride home, babe," she murmured against the other girl's lips.

"You're welcome, babe," Beca said before opening the passenger door for Chloe. "I've been working on a little surprise for you lately, and I can't wait for you to see it," she stated, one of her hands on the steering wheel while the other held Chloe's hand as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"Really? What kind of a surprise is it?" Chloe asked curiously. "Does it have anything to do with that song you've been working on?"

"Actually, no. This is completely different. I mean, it involves a song, but not one that I've written," Beca said with a chuckle before she pulled onto the highway.

"Huh, that's interesting. Well, I'm looking forward to whatever the surprise is," Chloe said, smiling and squeezing Beca's hand.

"I think you'll like it a lot," Beca said before she took the next exit and they drove up the road to Henry and Hailee's school. "I bet the twins will be excited to see you," she stated.

"Henry and Hailee are so freaking cute. I just can't get enough of those two," Chloe said, her smile growing wider when they pulled into the parking lot of the twins' school.

"They're so crazy, but I love them," Beca said, smiling when she saw the twins running and getting into the car. "Hey, you two!" She said, chuckling as the two six year-olds climbed into their carseats and buckled up. "How was your day?"

"Good!" Henry and Hailee said at the same time, big smiles on their faces.

"That's good to hear," Beca said, pulling out of the parking lot and back onto the road once the twins had buckled their seat belts.

"I drew a dinosaur!" Henry said, passing the drawing up to Chloe.

"Wow, Henry! You're such a great artist!" Chloe said, smiling at the little boy. "I'll put this up on my wall in my bedroom!"

"Really?" Henry asked, his eyes going wide and his smile growing even bigger. "Yay! Thank you, Chloe!"

"Can you put my drawing on your wall?" Hailee asked, handing Chloe a picture of a monkey.

"Of course I can, and I will. This is awesome, Haiz!" Chloe said, taking the picture from the little girl.

"Thank you," Hailee said shyly, her smile growing as well.

"You're welcome!" Chloe said, smiling back at Hailee.

"How was school today, you two?" Beca asked as she drove towards their house.

"You already asked that, Beca," Henry replied, laughing.

"I did? Oh well," Beca said, chuckling along with her little brother.

Once they got home, the twins got out and went inside with the teenagers following behind them. Beca's parents were already home from work and were currently making dinner. "I've got to go to the bathroom. I'll be back," Beca said, kissing Chloe's cheek before turning and walking down the hallway towards the bathroom.

"Ah, hello there Chloe!" Jacob said, waving at his daughter's girlfriend. "How are you this afternoon?"

"I'm doing well, thank you," Chloe answered politely. "How about you?" She asked.

"I'm doing well too. Beca told me that you're headed to Juilliard in August. That sounds amazing," Jacob said with a friendly smile as he chopped up some peppers.

"It's going to be amazing," Chloe said, a smile on her face as well. "Going to Juilliard has been a dream of mine for so long, and I'm so happy that my dream came true."

"Beca talks about you all the time, she says that she helped you find your audition pieces. She must've done a good job helping you." Jacob said. "Now if only you could help her find her real dream."

Chloe raised an eyebrow at this comment. "What do you mean?" She asked. "She's already found her real dream."

"Moving off to LA and not going to college isn't a dream, it's a suicide mission. Sooner or later, she'll pack her bags and come home because her 'dream' didn't work out," Jacob said. "I want her to be reasonable."

"She is being reasonable. Sure, it's going to be hard, but she'll make it in LA," Chloe stated, crossing her arms. "You should have more faith in Beca. She's incredibly talented, and she's going to make it in LA."

"Chloe, I know that you think she'll make it easily when she goes to LA. But even if she does make it, she'll have to go through a lot to get there. Dreams like that are hard to reach, even if you're extremely talented," Jacob said, stopping what he was doing. "Stars like Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes, and Camila Cabello are all very talented, but they've also had a lot of luck. You can be as talented as The Beatles and still not make it. It's a longshot, and I don't want my daughter to be heartbroken if it doesn't work out. I'm sure you can understand that."

"I do understand that, but just because it's a longshot doesn't mean that you should write her off so soon. She hasn't even had a chance to prove herself to you yet. Maybe if you actually came to one of her shows, you'd realize that Beca's dream is actually a dream and not a 'suicide mission,'" Chloe replied.

Jacob furrowed his eyebrows at Chloe's tone. "Are you going to keep bothering me about this? I'm trying to make your guys' dinner, the least you could do right now is respect my opinion, Chloe. You're in my house," he stated firmly.

Chloe nodded and then looked down at the floor, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down. "I'm sorry, Mr. Mitchell. It's just that-" The redhead looked back up at her girlfriend's father. "It's just that I care about Beca a lot, and I want her to succeed. But when some of the people she cares about most don't believe in her, it really hurts her confidence and self-esteem. She'd never admit that herself, of course, but it's true."

Jacob listened to Chloe as she spoke, letting everything that she said sink in. _But when some of the people she cares about most don't believe in her, it really hurts her…_ Those words in particular replayed over and over in his head for a moment. He then cleared his throat and continued to chop up the peppers. "I'm just trying to do what's best for my daughter."

"I understand what you're getting at, Mr. Mitchell. I really do," Chloe said, sitting down on one of stools by the kitchen counter. "But how can you know what best for her if you've never seen what she can do? How can you decide that she won't make it if you've never given her a chance to show you she can?"

Jacob paused for a moment when he heard these words. He stopped what he was doing and just stood there, thinking. _How can you decide that she won't make it if you've never given her a chance to show you she can?_ Finally, after a silence that seemed to last forever, he spoke up. "You're right."

At first, Chloe thought she had hallucinated his answer and that she was hearing things. "Did you just say I'm right?" She asked, a hopeful look on her face. "Will you give Beca a chance?"

Jacob paused for another moment before nodding his head. "I've never given her a chance before, so I might as well now. Writing her off without giving her a chance to prove herself wouldn't be fair."

"What wouldn't be fair?" Beca asked as she walked into the kitchen. Both Chloe and Jacob stared blankly at Beca in silence for a few moments before the brunette spoke again. "Seriously, what wouldn't be fair?"

"Well," Jacob started, looking from Beca to Chloe and then back to Beca. "I was saying that it wouldn't be fair to write you off in terms of your music career since I haven't given you a chance to prove yourself."

"Wait, so you're saying that you'll come to one of my concerts?" Beca said, her face lighting up with excitement and a hopeful glint shining in her eyes.

Jacob nodded his head again, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "I mean, I should probably come to a show at some point. I wouldn't be a very good father if I never came to any of your shows," he reasoned. "Your girlfriend here convinced me of that."

Beca smiled at Chloe before walking over to her father and hugging him close. "I promise I won't let you down, Dad."

Jacob smiled and hugged his daughter back. "I know you won't, kiddo. You always make me proud," he replied genuinely.

Beca couldn't help but feel as if things were starting to play in her favor. She was dating the girl of her dreams, and now that same girl had convinced her father to come and see one of Beca's concerts. Now all Beca had to do was win her father's favor and pray that he'd support her going to LA.

 **Now that was some steamy Bechloe stuff going on here. Chicago now knows about Beca and Chloe's relationship. Chloe came out to her parents, who were very accepting of her! And now Chloe convinced Jacob to come and see one of Trio's shows! Best Girlfriend Ever! Now let's see if Beca can convince her father to let her go to LA! Stay tuned!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	26. Chapter 26: A Chance To Prove Myself

Chapter 26: A Chance To Prove Myself

"So, this is it. Are you more nervous or excited?" Jesse asked, watching Beca as she paced back and forth around the music room. Today was the day that the brunette was going to ask Chloe to prom, so it was understandable why she would be nervous or excited, or both.

"Nervous," Beca answered, running her fingers through her hair. "What if I mess up the song and she breaks up with me? So many things could go wrong. This is one of her favorite songs of all time, and I don't want to screw it up," she stated, continuing to pace back and forth.

"Hey, relax," Jesse said, walking over to Beca and then putting a hand on her shoulder. "You know this song like the back of your hand. You know it so well that you can play it in your sleep. You're not going to mess this up," he told her in a reassuring voice.

Beca nodded and then took a deep breath before she spoke again. "Alright, let's do this. Did Benji get her to the auditorium?"

Jesse took his phone out of his pocket and saw a text from Benji. "Yeah, he actually just texted me to tell me that she's there."

"Okay, let's go then," Beca said, grabbing her guitar and walking with Jesse to the back door of the auditorium. The two walked out onto the stage to see Benji talking to Chloe. "Hey, babe," the brunette called out, smiling and waving at the the redhead. "This is that surprise I told you about. It's a special performance by Trio just for you," she said as Benji and Jesse got to their instruments.

"Ooh, really?" Chloe asked, biting her lip as a smile spread across her face. "I can't wait to see what it is, then." After she finished speaking, the redhead sat down in one of the front row seats in the auditorium and waited for the performance to begin.

"Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show," Beca said, smiling at her girlfriend one more time before plugging her guitar into the amp. She took a deep breath before turning and nodding her head at Jesse and Benji, signaling for them to start.

"I Saw Her Standing There"- The Beatles

"Well, she was just seventeen.

You know what I mean.

And the way she looked was way beyond compare.

So how could I dance with another?

When I saw her standing there."

Chloe's smile grew even wider when she recognized the song. The redhead couldn't help but tap her foot on the floor and nod her head along with the rhythm of the song, her eyes on Beca the whole time.

"Well, she looked at me  
And I could see

That before too long,

I'd fall in love with her.

She wouldn't dance with another,

Oh, when I saw her standing there."

Beca smiled and continued to rock out as she sang the song. Her nerves were long gone, and she found that she was now able to let loose and have fun as she performed.

"Well, my heart went boom

When I crossed that room,

And I held her hand in mine

Oh, we danced through the night

And held each other tight.

And before too long,

I fell in love with her.

Now I'll never dance with another,

Oh, when I saw her standing there.

Well, my heart went boom

When I crossed that room,

And I held her hand in mine

Oh, we danced through the night

And held each other tight.

And before too long,

I fell in love with her.

Now I'll never dance with another,

Oh, when I saw her standing there.

Oh, since I saw her standing there.

Yeah, well since I saw her standing there."

When the song was over, Beca put her guitar down and then went backstage to grab the bouquet of roses that she had bought for Chloe. She then went back out onto the stage, a big smile on her face as she walked towards her girlfriend, who was walking towards her at the same time. "I bet by now you've figured out why I brought you here," Beca said when they met at the middle of the stage. "I won't dance with another at the prom, because when I see you standing there, I fall in love," she stated, making Chloe's face turn as red as her hair. "Chloe Beale, will you go to prom with me?"

The redhead put her hand over her mouth, tears of joy welling up in her eyes. "Of course I'll go to prom with you, Becs. Thank you so much," Chloe said, throwing her arms around the brunette and bringing her into a hug.

Beca smiled and then picked Chloe up, spinning her around a couple times. "Thank you," she said, smiling before leaning in to kiss Chloe's cheek. "There's no one I'd rather go with."

"The same goes from me to you, Becs," Chloe replied. The redhead then leaned in and pressed a sweet kiss to the brunette's lips. "I love you," she whispered softly once their lips parted.

Those three words made Beca's heart stop for a split second. "W-what?" She asked in a high-pitched voice. "Y-you love m-me?" A small smiled started to appear on the young girl's lips.

"I know we haven't been together for very long, but I do. I love you, Becs," Chloe said, looking down so the brunette didn't see how hard she was blushing.

Beca's smile grew even wider, and she lifted Chloe's chin up before leaning in to give the girl a sweet kiss on the lips. "I love you too, Chlo," she whispered.

"Good. I'm glad we're on the same page," Chloe mumbled back, chuckling and then deepening the kiss a little.

Jesse then cleared his throat. "Uh, hello," he said, smiling and chuckling a little. "We're still here."

"Oh, sorry," Beca said, pulling away from the kiss. "Can we have a minute, you guys?" She asked Benji and Jesse.

Benji nodded his head. "Yeah, of course. You guys were already having a minute just now, but it's whatever," he said with a chuckle before he and Jesse walked off the stage, leaving the two girls alone.

Beca then turned back to Chloe, both a smile and a blush on her face. "So, as your official prom date, I would like you to know that we can do whatever you want on our day date," she said. "Also, you're going to love the song I wrote for that night," the brunette added.

"You wrote a song for me?" Chloe asked, biting down on her lip as she tried to keep herself from blushing even harder than she already was.

"Yeah, that's the one I've been working on for awhile," Beca said, smiling and holding Chloe by her hips. "I want to get it just right before I sing for you."

"And I'm sure you will, babe," Chloe said, smiling back at her girlfriend. The redhead wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck and then leaned their foreheads together. "You writing a song for me means a lot, Becs."

"Well, I write a lot of songs about you. It's actually pretty easy to write about you because you inspire me so much," Beca said with a smile before leaning in and kissing Chloe's lips gently. "So, you love me?"

Chloe nodded her head. "Yeah, I do. Did you think I was lying to you?" She asked with a giggle.

"No, I just wanted to hear you say it again, that's all," Beca said, gently tucking a few stray pieces of Chloe's hair back behind her ear. "If that's alright with you."

"Of course that's alright with me," Chloe said, giggling a little more. She then started gazing into Beca's eyes, her smile growing as she did so. "I really do love you, Beca," she murmured softly.

"I really love you too," Beca said before sitting down on the piano bench and pulling Chloe onto her lap. She pressed a couple kisses to the girl's upper arm and shoulder before looking up into her eyes. "You coming to the concert tomorrow?" She asked.

"You bet I am," Chloe replied, smiling back at her girlfriend. "I'd be crazy if I missed the show tomorrow," she added.

Beca then took a deep breath. "My dad's coming to the show with my mom," she said, biting her lip nervously.

"Wait, really? That's awesome, Becs!" Chloe said in an enthusiastic voice. "I knew he'd come around sooner or later. I just knew it."

"It's all thanks to you, you know?" Beca said, smiling up at her girlfriend. "Whatever you said to him must've worked, because now he's going to give my dreams a chance. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you doing that for me, especially since you didn't have to."

Chloe shook her head. "You don't need to thank me, Becs. I was just doing the right thing. I knew that you really wanted him to come to one of your shows, so I decided that I would do whatever I could to make that happen."

"Still, you did it even though you didn't have to, and I'm very grateful for that," Beca said, leaning up to kiss Chloe on the lips. "You're an amazing girlfriend."

"So are you, Becs," Chloe said, smiling as they pulled away from the kiss. "You make me so, so happy. I've never been happier."

"Good, because I feel the exact same way," Beca replied before leaning up to kiss Chloe again.

The following night, Beca was in her bathroom getting ready for the concert. She was wearing a black blazer and a white tank top along with black jeans and dark brown combat boots. She looked in her mirror as she applied her mascara, taking a few deep breaths as she did so. Her father was coming to the show tonight, and Beca knew she had to give the best performance of her life in order to convince her father that LA was where she belonged and that she could make her dream a reality.

She felt her phone buzz in her pocket and then pulled it out to see that Jesse wanted to FaceTime her. She pressed answer and then set her phone on the sink so it was leaning back against the mirror. "Hey buddy, what's up?"

"Not much, Becaw," Jesse replied, smirking when Beca rolled her eyes at him. 'Becaw' was a new nickname that he had come up with recently and the brunette absolutely hated it, which was why he used it whenever he could.

"Dude, I'm really nervous. I still can't believe that my dad is actually coming to the show tonight," Beca said, taking another deep breath before finishing her mascara. "What if he hates it and doesn't let me go to LA?"

"Don't be silly, Becaw. He's going to let you go to LA. I guarantee that he'll be blown away by your performance tonight," Jesse said in an encouraging voice.

"I have to perform as good as Bono from U2 if I'm going convince my father to let me go to LA. It's not going to be an easy task," Beca said as she put her makeup away. She then walked out of the bathroom, grabbing her two guitar cases and her keyboard case before going back to get her phone.

"Sure, it's not going to be an easy task, but you'll be able to do it. I believe in you, Becaw. Benji believes in you, Chloe believes in you, even Aubrey believes in you," Jesse said with a little chuckle. "We all believe in you, Beca. You just have to believe in yourself."

"You're right," Beca said with a sigh as she opened the trunk of her car and put her instruments inside. "By the way, how are things with Aubrey? You never really talk about it."

"Things are good. Great, actually," Jesse replied with a smile. "She's an amazing girl, and I'm really glad that I finally worked up the courage to ask her out."

"Yeah, I'm glad you did too. You've been eye-screwing her since sophomore year so it was about time you took her out on a date," Beca said with a chuckle, making Jesse laugh as well. "I'll see you in about twenty minutes, okay?"

"Alright, I'll see you then," Jesse said before they ended the FaceTime call.

Once everything was loaded up in the trunk, Beca closed it and got in the driver's seat. She sat there for a few moments, taking deep breaths and looking into the rearview mirror. "You've got this, Beca. You can do this. You just have to believe in yourself," she thought aloud. The girl then pulled out of her driveway and headed down to the venue where the concert was being held. She gripped the steering wheel tightly as she drove even though she knew it wouldn't helping her nerves. As she drove, the brunette thought about what songs they should play. They had to play songs that her father would like.

When Beca arrived at the venue, she parked her car and then got her instruments from the truck before going inside via the backstage door. Benji and Jesse were already there, and the two boys waved to the brunette when they saw her walking in. "Hey, Beca," Benji said with a smile. "Are you ready for tonight?"

"As ready as I can be," Beca said with a nervous chuckle. "Listen, you two. Since my father is coming, we have to play a different set. We have to play songs that we know he'll enjoy. This means we probably can't perform 'Locked Out of Heaven,' because I don't think he'd want to hear his daughter singing a song about sex."

Both Jesse and Benji nodded their heads in agreement. "Yeah, I don't think that would go over too well," Jesse said, chuckling a little. "So, do you have any ideas for what we should play instead?" He asked.

"Well, we have plenty of songs that aren't about sexual relations, so why don't we just pick them as we go?" Benji suggested with a shrug of the shoulders. "That's what we normally do, anyways."

Jesse thought about Benji's words for a few moments and then nodded his head. "Yeah, I guess so. That sounds good to me. What about you, Beca?"

Beca nodded her head as well. "That sounds good to me too. We should probably pick a song to start out with, though, just so we're not standing up there awkwardly as we try to figure out what to play," the brunette said.

"Hey, I have an idea," Benji interjected. "Why don't we start off with 'The Sound?'" He suggested.

"That should be the perfect song to start out with. Good thinking, Benji," Jesse said, patting his friend's shoulder. "Alright then, let's go out there and do our sound check. The doors open in twenty-five minutes."

"Alright, let's go," Beca said, following Jesse and Benji out onto the stage. She set up her instruments and made sure they were all plugged into amps before doing her mic check. Then, a sound check for each of their instruments. Once those things were done, they played a couple songs to warm up and then went backstage to wait.

Chicago, Chloe, Aubrey, Emily, and Stacie were all waiting in line to get in. They had decided to go support Beca since it was the first show that her father was going to. Every single one of them had cancelled any previous plans they had to come to the show.

Beca, Jesse, and Benji were sitting backstage and listening to the chatter of people waiting in line. The noise got louder when the doors were finally opened and the venue began to fill up. "It's pretty loud out there. There must be a lot of people," Jesse commented.

"Good. That means it'll probably be harder to spot my dad," Beca said, biting her lip nervously.

"Unless he's in the front row," Benji pointed out with a chuckle. "Don't worry, Beca. He's going to enjoy the show."

"How do you know that? How do you know that he's not going to walk out during the middle of the concert because he hates it so much?" Beca asked.

"You just gotta have some faith," Jesse said. "Just have fun tonight and try not to think about it. The worst thing you can do is worry."

Beca then looked down at the floor. "You're right," she said after a few moments of silence. "It's just hard not to think about it, you know? I really want him to enjoy the show."

"Then just do what you always do, you're a great performer Beca." Jesse said smiling and patting his friend on the back.

Soon, it was almost time for the show to start. Jacob and Cala were standing in the fifth row as they waited to their daughter's band to come out. "Wow, I had no idea her band had so many fans," Jacob said as he looked around.

"Yeah, they're pretty big. One of the most popular bands in Seattle, actually," Cala told her husband.

"That's pretty cool," Jacob said, nodding his head. He looked around for another minute before turning to his wife. "Cala, do you really believe that Beca can make it?"

Cala looked back at Jacob. "Of course I think she can make it. She's the most talented person I know and will probably ever know. If anyone can make it in LA, it's our daughter," she said in a genuine voice.

The man took a deep breath and then nodded before turning to face the stage as the crowd got louder. Beca, Jesse, and Benji made their way onto the stage and waved at the crowd. "How are you guys doing tonight?" Beca asked through the microphone, getting a loud response. "Awesome! We're going to mix things up a little bit by performing some songs that we haven't done in awhile. Also, my dad is in the audience tonight, so let's give him a warm welcome." The brunette paused so the crowd could give her father a round of applause. Once they were done, she continued. "This song is called 'The Sound.'" Beca then stepped away from the microphone and turned on her keyboard, waiting for Jesse to start playing his part on the drums before she started playing her own part. A few moments later, Benji came in with his bass guitar and the song began.

"The Sound"- The 1975

"Well I know when you're around cause I know the sound,

I know the sound of your heart.

Well I know when you're around cause I know the sound,

I know the sound of your heart.

Well I know when you're around cause I know the sound,

I know the sound of your heart.

Well I know when you're around cause I know the sound,

I know the sound of your heart."

Beca's eyes scanned the crowd and she smiled once she saw her friends. She then continued scanning the crowd until she saw her father. The brunette's smile grew and she waved at him before going into the first verse of the song.

"I can't believe I forgot your name.

Oh baby, won't you come again?

She said 'I've got a problem with your shoes

And your tunes but I might move in.

And I thought that you were straight, now I'm wondering.'

You're so conceited, I said 'I love you.'

What does it matter if I lie to you?

I don't regret it, but I'm glad that we're through,

So don't you tell me that you 'just don't get it'

Cause I know you do."

A small smile appeared on Jacob's face as he watched his daughter. _She definitely knows how to perform for a crowd_ , he thought to himself. couldn't keep the smile off of his face as he continued to listen to Beca sing.

"Well I know when you're around cause I know the sound,

I know the sound of your heart.

Well I know when you're around cause I know the sound,

I know the sound of your heart.

It's not about reciprocation, it's just all about me:

A sycophantic, prophetic, Socratic junkie wannabe.

There's so much skin to see,

A simple Epicurean philosophy.

And you say I'm such a cliche.

I can't see the difference in it, either way.

And we left things to protect my mental health,

But you call me when you're bored and you're playing with yourself.

You're so conceited, I said 'I love you.'

What does it matter if I lie to you?

I don't regret it, but I'm glad that we're through,

So don't you tell me that you 'just don't get it'

Cause I know you do."

As she finished the second verse, Beca looked back into the crowd and saw that her father had a huge smile on his face. This made a big smile appear on the brunette's face as well and gave her even more energy for her performance.

"Well I know when you're around cause I know the sound,

I know the sound of your heart.

Well I know when you're around cause I know the sound,

I know the sound of your heart.

Well I know when you're around cause I know the sound,

I know the sound of your heart.

Well I know when you're around cause I know the sound,

I know the sound of your heart."

Once the song was over, the crowd cheered really loudly. Beca couldn't help but smile when she saw the look of pride on her father's face. She waved his way before winking at Chloe, who was standing in the front row. The brunette smirked a little when the redhead winked back at her before turning to Jesse and Benji. "What song should we do next?" She asked, putting her hand over the microphone so that it didn't pick up what she was saying.

"What about 'When I Come Around?'" Jesse suggested. "We haven't played that one in a long time."

Beca got a nod from Benji and then she turned back to the crowd. "This next one is an oldie, but it's definitely a goodie. This is actually one of the first songs I wrote. Here's 'When I Come Around!'" She yelled before Jesse tapped his drumsticks together.

"When I Come Around"- Green Day

"I heard you crying loud all the way across town

Cause you've been searching for that someone.

And it's me out on the prowl

As you sit around feeling sorry for yourself.

Well, don't feel lonely now

And dry your whining eyes

I'm just roaming for the moment,

Sleazin' in my backyard, so don't get so uptight.

You've been thinking about ditching me.

No time to search the world around

Cause you know where I'll be found

When I come around."

The crowd instantly cheered when they recognized the song and some people began clapping their hands to the beat. This made Beca smile as she went into the second verse.

"Well I heard it all before, so don't knock down my door.

I'm a loser and a user, so I don't need no accuser.

To try and slag me down because I know you're right

So go do what you like, make sure you do it wise.

You may find out that your self-doubt means nothing was ever there.

You can't go forcing something if it's just not right.

No time to search the world around,

Cause you know where I'll be found

When I come around.

No time to search the world around,

Cause you know where I'll be found

When I come around.

When I come around,

When I come around,

When I come around."

The crowd roared when the song was over. The cheering was so loud that Beca almost had to cover her ears. "Wow! They loved that one," Beca said to Benji and Jesse with a chuckle.

About an hour and a half later, the band had come to their final song, but Beca had a few words to say before they began playing. "This last song is one that I recently wrote with Jesse. It's a love song to his girlfriend, Aubrey, who is in the building tonight. Jesse, would you like to say a few words to your girl before we start?"

Jesse nodded and then stood up. He walked to the front of the stage, taking his microphone with him. "I'm gonna keep this short and sweet because I know that you guys want to hear this last song," he started, getting a chuckle from the audience. He then made eye contact with Aubrey before speaking again. "Aubrey, this next song is for you. I'm not the best at putting my thoughts into words, which is why I had Beca help me with it, but I hope you like it. Thanks for being the best girlfriend ever," he said with a smile.

"Well said, Jesse," Beca said before slinging her acoustic guitar over her shoulders. "This duet is called 'Seeing Blind,' I hope you all enjoy. You've been a great crowd tonight."

"Seeing Blind"- Niall Horan and Maren Morris

 **Jesse:**

"I have seen, seen it all in paper dreams,

Watched it unfold on the screen,

But I never understood.

I have heard, have heard you speak a million words.

Now you're talking to me first,

Never thought you would."

 **Jesse & Beca:**

"Oh, my, my, you just took me by surprise,

And I can't believe my eyes.

Oh, I must be seeing blind.

Oh no, now you're too good to be all mine.

Now I'm looking in your eyes.

Oh, I must be seeing blind."

By the time the first chorus was over, a good amount of people in the crowd were holding their phones up with the flashlight on and waving them back and forth. Beca looked over at Jesse and smiled at her friend before singing her verse of the song.

 **Beca:**

"When I was young, my heart was always on the run.

But you make loving fun,

I never knew it could be.

I see you from a different point of view.

I feel it's too good to be true.

I found my missing piece."

 **Jesse & Beca:**

"Oh, my, my, you just took me by surprise,

And I can't believe my eyes.

Oh, I must be seeing blind.

Oh no, now you're too good to be all mine.

Now I'm looking in your eyes.

Oh, I must be seeing blind.

Oh, oh."

Aubrey smiled up at her boyfriend as he sang with Beca, swaying to the song and holding up her phone to videotape the entire thing. She could feel her heart skip a beat when Jesse winked at her before the two went into the last chorus.

 **Jesse & Beca:**

Oh, my, my, when I look into your eyes,

It's a sight I can't describe.

Oh I must be seeing blind.

Oh, my, my, you just took me by surprise,

And I can't believe my eyes.

Oh, I must be seeing blind.

Oh no, now you're too good to be all mine.

Now I'm looking in your eyes.

Oh, I must be seeing blind.

Oh, I must be seeing blind."

As the final song finished, the crowd went wild and the three people onstage smiled and waved goodbye before heading off of the stage. "Guys, we killed it out there!" Jesse said enthusiastically once they were backstage, giving high-fives to both Beca and Benji. "That was awesome!"

"Yeah, it was awesome!" Beca said, smiling and hugging her fellow band members. "My dad, he stood up and cheered."

"See? What did we tell you? We knew he was going to love it," Benji said with a smile.

Then, they heard the backstage door open and multiple people walk inside. "Beca!" Chloe called out as she ran up to her girlfriend, giving her a big hug. "The show was amazing! Your dad was cheering the whole time!"

"Yeah, I saw," Beca said with a smile as she hugged Chloe back. "I can't believe that he actually enjoyed the performance."

"I can believe it. The performance was amazing, babe," Chloe said before leaning in and giving Beca a sweet kiss on the lips.

After she had packed up all her instruments and bid farewell to their friends, Beca gave Chloe a ride home. When she pulled into the redhead's driveway, the brunette took a deep breath. She spoke up once they had gotten out of the car and went up the stairs to Chloe's porch. "Do you think I changed his mind?" She asked.

Chloe paused for a moment. "Well, if I were him, my mind would have definitely been changed by your performance," she started. "But the only way to know if you changed his mind is to ask him."

The brunette girl nodded and then took another deep breath. "How did you like the new song?" She asked. "I know I wrote it with Jesse for Aubrey, but I was thinking about you the entire time we were writing it."

These words made Chloe smile and blush a little. "I loved the new song, Becs. It was really sweet of you to help Jesse write a song for Aubrey," she said.

"I've written songs with Benji for Emily before, but this was the first time Jesse asked me to write a song with him," Beca said with a chuckle. She then looked at her front door, knowing her father was waiting for her inside the house. "I'll tell you how it goes in the morning, okay?"

Chloe nodded her head. "Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow morning," she said, leaning in and giving Beca a sweet goodnight kiss. "I love you, babe."

"I love you too, Chlo," Beca said, giving Chloe one last peck on the lips before she headed over to her own house. "Mom, Dad! I'm home!" She called out once she was inside.

"We're in the kitchen, sweetie!" Cala called out.

Beca took off her shoes and set down her stuff before going into the kitchen. "Hey," she said, smiling at her parents. "So, did you guys enjoy the show?" She asked, biting her lip nervously.

Cala smiled and then looked over at Jacob, who cleared his throat before talking. "Beca, I'm so sorry that I avoided going to your shows for so long. I realize now that I was more concerned with what I wanted for you than what you wanted," he said, taking a deep breath. "And for that, I apologize."

"It's okay, Dad," Beca said, shrugging her shoulders. "You were just doing what you thought was best for me."

Jacob shook his head. "It's not okay, though. I completely disregarded your feelings, and I shouldn't have. I'm very sorry, Beca. I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you, Dad. You've always told me that's it's good to forgive," Beca said, smiling at her father.

"About LA," Jacob said, leaning back against the kitchen counter. "While I'm still scared to let you go there on your own, I think we can come to an agreement."

"Really?" Beca asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "What would the terms of this agreement be?"

"Your mother and I were talking, and we came up with a few conditions that we think are pretty reasonable," Jacob said, smiling at his daughter. "Until you can make a stable living on your own, you're going to live with your cousin Zachary. He's got a nice apartment in Beverly Hills and he's willing to let you live with him as long as you pay rent."

Beca nodded to signal that she was listening. "Alright, that seems fair. What else?" She asked.

It was now Cala's turn to speak. "We aren't going to pay for your rent, so you're going to have to get a job while you're living with Zachary. We also want you to take a few college classes while you're there. You can take music classes if you want to. We want you get at least some college can work on your music in your free time, but you have to put school and work first."

Beca nodded her head again. "Don't worry, I will," she said. "Is there anything else?"

"Once you go there, it's going to be awhile before you're able to come and visit us," Jacob said, scratching the back of his neck. "We'll come and visit when we can, but flights to LA are pretty pricey. So, to make sure we get to talk to you as much as possible, we want to call or FaceTime you at least twice a week. Other than that, we don't really have any other conditions."

Beca then hugged both of her parents. "Thank you so much," she said, the smile on her face growing impossibly wider. "You letting me go to LA means so much to me. I promise I won't let you down."

"We know you won't, darling," Jacob said, a smile on his face as his daughter wrapped him and Cala up in a bear hug.

 **YAY! Beca is going to LA! Jacob came through and is now in support of his daughters dream.**

 **Also, Chloe and Beca are going to prom together, which is going to be super fun! What did you think about Beca's promposal?**

 **Until Next Time!**


	27. Chapter 27: Prom! Part One

Chapter 27: Prom! Part One

"I need the perfect dress for prom, Bree," Chloe said as they looked through the store. "Something that Beca will love, you know?"

Aubrey nodded her head. "Yeah, I know what you mean. But for the record, Beca will think you're hot no matter you wear. You could wear a trash bag to prom and Beca would think you're hot," the blonde said with a chuckle.

Chloe chuckled. "Thanks, Bree, but I wouldn't go that far," she stated before pulling a black dress off of one of the racks. "Have you found your dress yet?" She asked.

"No, I haven't. I was actually planning on looking at some dresses while we're here and seeing if any catch my eye," Aubrey replied.

"I can't believe this is our senior prom," Chloe said, tucking some of her hair back. "It feels like yesterday was the first of the school year."

"It really does, doesn't it? This year has flown by fast," Aubrey remarked. "So, are you and Beca going to wear the same color for prom?"

"Yeah, we are. She told me to text her once I found my dress so that she can get a suit in the same color," Chloe said, smiling. "I'm honestly so excited."

"I am too. It's going to be a fun night, that's for sure," Aubrey said, smiling back at her friend. She then looked at the dress she was holding. "Are you gonna try that one on?" She asked.

"No, I think it's cute and all, but I don't want wear black to prom," Chloe said, putting the black dress back on the rack and looking at some of the other dresses. "Beca loves purple, so I'm looking for something close to lavender."

Aubrey then spotted a light purple dress on one of the racks. She grabbed it from the rack and then showed it to Chloe. "What about this one?"

"Woah," Chloe said, smiling widely. "That's beautiful. I have to try it on." The redhead then took the dress from Aubrey and headed to the dressing room.

Aubrey waited outside the dressing room while Chloe tried on the dress. "Let me know when you're ready, Chlo," the blonde said.

Chloe put on the dress and looked into the mirror of the dressing room. It was a silky lavender dress that had loose sleeves which fit right around the edge of her shoulders. It had a good bra line and was very comfortable. Chloe knew she'd definitely be able to dance in it. "Okay, I'm coming out." The redhead then opened the door of the dressing room and then walked out so Aubrey could see. "What do you think?" Chloe asked, turning around a couple times so Aubrey could get a good look at the dress.

"If that doesn't make Beca want to bang you, I don't know what will," Aubrey said, making Chloe laugh. She then got serious. "It's beautiful, Chloe, and you look stunning in it. But the real question isn't if Beca will love it, it's if you love it."

Chloe turned to look at her reflection in the mirror. She smiled and then turned back to Aubrey, nodding her head as she did so. "I love it. It's absolutely perfect."

"You look beautiful, Chloe," Aubrey said with a smile. "Now, lets buy this dress for you," she stated. Chloe changed out of the dress and then the two girls headed to the checkout.

Meanwhile, Beca was working on her song for the prom. She was going over some of the lyrics when she received a text from Chloe.

 **Chloe:** My dress is lavender, baby ;)

 **Beca:** Great, baby! I'll order my suit now. I can't wait to see it on you ;)

The brunette smiled as she imagined how beautiful Chloe would be in her dress. Beca smiled even more as she thought about the whole situation: she was taking Chloe, the girl of her dreams, to their senior prom. Beca had never been a big fan of school dances, but she was really excited for prom with Chloe.

After working on the song for a little while longer, Beca started looking online for prom suits. She had secretly been hoping that Chloe would go with purple because she loved said color and felt that she looked best when wearing it. The brunette found the perfect suit to wear a little while later and decided to order it, using money from her last two paychecks to pay for it.

Two days later, Beca was watching Henry and Hailee with Chloe. The twins had just been put down for a nap and Beca was now making some ramen noodles for them on the stove. "There's only a week left until prom. Are you excited?"

"You bet I am," Chloe said with a smile. "I've never been more excited to go to a school dance. Going to prom with you will be so much fun."

"It's going to be a night to remember," Beca said, turning away from the stove to give Chloe a kiss on the cheek.

"It definitely will be. I can't wait," Chloe replied, smiling as a blush slowly spread across her face.

Beca lifted Chloe up onto the counter while she waited for the water to boil. "You're so sexy, and I know that you're going to be the hottest girl at the prom," she said, smiling and running her hands along the top of Chloe's thighs.

"I don't know about that, babe. How can I be the hottest girl at prom when you're going to be there too?" Chloe asked, her smile turning into a smirk.

"I mean, I am really hot," Beca joked, making Chloe laugh a little. "But you're still going to be the hottest girl there in my book," she stated confidently before leaning in and kissing Chloe's nose in a cute manner.

"And you're going to be the hottest girl there in my book," Chloe murmured back, leaning forward so that their foreheads were touching.

"So," Beca said, smiling at her girlfriend. "I know we're gonna wait for another two months or so, but am I going to get partially into your pants on prom night?" She asked, making Chloe laugh.

"You may partially get in my pants, or you may not," Chloe replied, winking at the brunette and then wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Beca bit her lip and smiled at Chloe. "Good, because there's no way I'm going to be able to completely resist you once I see you in your dress," she muttered softly, kissing the girl's neck a few times.

Chloe closed her eyes and sighed with content as Beca kissed her neck. The redhead ended up pulling away after a few moments, though. "I would love to continue this, but I don't want to distract you from your cooking," she explained.

"You're right," Beca said, groaning playfully before opening the noodles and pour them into the bowl. "Do you know who Stacie is going with? She seems to be the only person besides Chicago who doesn't have a date."

Chloe shook her head. "If she has a date, then she hasn't told me. I don't think she has one yet, though," she replied. Then, a thought hit her. "Wait. If Chicago and Stacie both don't have dates yet, then why don't they just go together?"

Beca cringed for a moment, trying to think of the right way to explain this to Chloe. "They could do that, but Stacie doesn't want to be lead on by him," she stated.

"Why would Stacie think Chicago would lead her on?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"You can't tell anyone, alright?" Beca said, continuing after Chloe gave her a quick nod. "Stacie has recently developed feelings for Chicago."

"Oh, really?" Chloe said, a bit surprised by what Beca had just told her. "I can understand why she wouldn't want to get lead on by him, then. I thought she wasn't into 'nice guys,' though," she added, making quotation marks in the air with her fingers.

"Neither did I, but apparently she is now," Beca said, stirring the noodles a little bit. "Plus, her ex is going to be the DJ for the dance. Who knows what's going to happen."

"Oh, that Luke guy? What's he like? Stacie mentioned him a couple times before, but she didn't say much about him," Chloe said.

"He was the fourth member of Trio until he graduated last year. He's a handsome and muscular British guy who played bass along with Benji," Beca told her. "Honestly, you probably would've fawned over him instead of Chicago if you'd met him at the beginning of the year," she added with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I probably would have," Chloe said, chuckling along with her girlfriend. "So, I take it that he and Stacie broke up because he graduated?"

"Yup. They decided to break up once the school year was over since he was going to play soccer at UCLA," Beca said, nodding her head. "They were together for three years, and they were a really great couple."

"It's a shame that they had to break up, then. They're still friends though, right?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, they're really good friends," Beca said, smiling at the memory of the two. "Stacie's crushing on Chicago now, though, so I don't think she'll be flirting with Luke while he's here."

Chloe nodded her head and then thought to herself for a few moments. "Well, I think it would be great if Stacie and Chicago got together. They'd make a cute couple."

"They kinda would," Beca said, thinking about it for a moment. "They seem like two completely different people, but they're really not all that different. He'd be the calm one of the two, that's for sure."

"Yeah, definitely," Chloe said with a smile. There was a moment of silence between the two as Beca turned back to the stove to stir the noodles again. "So, once the ramen is done, what do you want to do?" The redhead asked.

"I'm down for anything, really," Beca said, adding the packet of flavor to the noodles. "I don't really have any preference as to what we do, so you can choose."

"Alright then," Chloe said, running her fingers through her hair as she thought of things they could do. "We could continue watching the Harry Potter movies," she suggested.

"We could do that. We're on part one of the seventh movie," Beca said, getting out a couple bowls and forks for them. "You do know that we always end up making out during movies, right?" The brunette pointed out, chuckling a little.

"I do know that, and that's actually part of the reason why I suggested it," Chloe replied, chuckling as well. "If making out is a problem, then we don't have to watch a movie," the redhead added.

"You're kidding, right?" Beca asked. "I'll always take any opportunity to make out with you," she said with a smirk as she poured the soup into their bowls.

"I can say the same thing, babe," Chloe said, grabbing her bowl of soup and heading into the living room.

Beca smiled and then followed the redhead into the living room, holding her own bowl of soup. She sat down next to the redhead on the couch and then pushed the play button on the remote, starting the movie. "I'm really excited to watch this one. The seventh book was always my favorite."

"I have to agree with you on that one," Chloe said, putting her bowl of soup down on the coffee table before cuddling up next to Beca as the movie began.

"I never asked you this, but who's your favorite character in _Harry Potter_?" Beca asked as the opening credits rolled.

"Hmm. I'd have to say either Hermione or Ginny. What about you?" Chloe asked.

"I've always loved Hermione, but Harry is my favorite character," Beca said. "He's such a strong, underrated character. I mean, he is the main character, but I've never heard anyone say that he's their favorite character in the series."

"You do have a point there," Chloe said. She then turned back to the TV. "Let's focus on the movie for now so we can say that we watched at least a little bit of it before we started making out," she said with a little chuckle.

"Sounds good to me," Beca said, sipping some of the broth from her soup before putting the bowl on the coffee table and turning her attention to the movie.

About half an hour into the movie, Chloe briefly glanced at Beca out of the corner of her eye. The redhead then scooted closer to the brunette and wrapped her arms around her waist, resting her head on the girl's shoulder as well.

Beca put her arm around Chloe's shoulder and turned her head to kiss the top of Chloe's head. "How was your ramen?" She asked with a smile.

"It was good. Thanks for making it for me," Chloe said, smiling back at her girlfriend.

Beca smiled and then kissed her girlfriend on the lips. "Come here, babe," she said, pulling Chloe onto her lap.

"Well, if you insist," Chloe said, giggling when Beca pulled her onto her lap. The redhead wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck and leaned their foreheads together so that their lips were almost touching.

"You look so sexy right now," Beca whispered, leaning in and kissing her lips. "Like, really, really sexy."

"Why thank you, babe," Chloe said, smiling into the kiss. "It just so happens that I think you look really, really sexy right now too."

Beca's hands rested on Chloe's ass, squeezing it gently before tugging on Chloe's bottom lip with her teeth. "Can I have a little teaser preview for prom night?" She mumbled.

"Do you want a little teaser for prom night?" Chloe mumbled back, pulling away from the kiss so she could look into Beca's eyes. "Because if you want a little teaser for prom night, I'd be more than happy to give you one."

"Please show me, baby," Beca murmured, softly scratching Chloe's skin with her fingernails. "Please show me. I'm begging you," she whispered.

Chloe chuckled softly. "Well, since you asked so nicely," she whispered before connecting their lips in a passionate kiss.

Beca's hands squeezed Chloe's ass again before allowing her girlfriend to take complete control of the situation. "Show me what you got, babe."

"I plan on doing just that, baby," Chloe purred in Beca's ear. The redhead then began grinding on the brunette's lap at a slow pace, knowing this was something that would turn her on.

"Holy shit," Beca mumbled as she watched Chloe's hips grind against her lap. This had to be one of the sexiest things she had ever witnessed. "You're so fucking hot, Chlo."

Chloe smirked at Beca's compliment. "Thank you, Becs," she said, moving her lips to the brunette's neck as she continued to grind on her.

Beca was having a hard time controlling her lust, causing her grip on Chloe's hips to tighten softly. "Mmmm, Chlo. You're driving me crazy right now," she moaned.

"How crazy?" Chloe murmured back, letting out a soft moan as well. "How crazy do I make you?" She asked.

"You make me go out of my mind," Beca whispered before kissing Chloe's lips to drown out a moan.

"I can say the same thing, baby. You drive me crazy yet keep me sane at the same time," Chloe mumbled against Beca's lips.

Beca then lay down on the couch and pulled Chloe down with her, running her hands up and down the redhead's back. The next kiss was more intense, both girls moaning a little as their lips moved together in perfect sync. "Mmm, you're so hot when you're on top of me," the brunette mumbled against the redhead's lips.

"So are you," Chloe said, smiling and kissing Beca's neck while she continued to grind on top of her.

"Shit," Beca groaned, closing her eyes and biting her lip. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me right now?"

"Your moaning is giving me a pretty good idea," Chloe whispered, sucking softly on Beca's pulse point before moving to kiss Beca's lips again. "We don't want to get too carried away, though," she said.

Beca groaned, but she knew Chloe was right. "I can't wait until we don't have to worry about getting carried away," the brunette murmured softly, cupping the redhead's face in her hands as they kissed.

"And when that day comes, I'll let you do whatever you want to me," Chloe said, tugging on Beca's bottom lip with her teeth.

Beca couldn't help but moan at Chloe's words. "I'm gonna make you feel so good, baby. I'm gonna make you feel so good that you'll scream my name at the top of your lungs."

"I'm going to make you feel so good that you can't walk in the morning." Chloe whispered, leaning down. "What's your preference when it comes to pleasuring a girl? Do you prefer fingering or performing oral sex?" She asked curiously as they sat up.

Beca thought about Chloe's question for a few moments and then shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really have a preference. Whatever makes the girl feel best would be my preference, I guess," she answered. "What about you?"

"I mean, I've never had sex with a girl, so I wouldn't know," Chloe said with an adorable little giggle. "But I do know that I prefer receiving oral over fingering. Though if the person is good at both, it's a bonus."

"Well, based off of my past experience, I'd say that I'm pretty good at both," Beca stated, chuckling a little. "Then again, it's different for every person. I could end up being terrible at both. You never know," she added.

"I know you'll be amazing," Chloe said, smiling and tucking some of Beca's hair back behind her ear. There was a moment of silence before the redhead spoke up again. "I know this is kind of a weird question, but have you been with more girls besides Olivia and Allison? You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I'm just curious."

"Well," Beca started, scratching the back of her head. "I mean, I've had a couple one-night stands here and there, but I haven't been with too many other girls besides Olivia and Allison. Maybe four, five at the most," she answered.

"And Olivia was your first, right?" Chloe asked.

"Yes, she was," Beca said, smiling softly at the memory. "She was probably the best I've ever had. But then again, I still have yet to do it with you, and I know for sure that it's going to be incredible." She then leaned in and kissed Chloe's lips before continuing. "How about you? Was it just Tom and Chicago, or were there more?"

"It was just Tom and Chicago," Chloe replied. The redhead then leaned in and pressed their lips together again. "I can't wait until our first time together," she murmured against the brunette's lips.

"Neither can I, I know it's going to be amazing." Beca said, kissing her once more before they started to focus on the movie again.

One week passed, and it was the evening of prom. Beca had already gotten dressed in her suit and she took a few deep breaths as she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She was a black suit and pants with a lavender bow tie and vest. Beca put on the lavender Converse shoes she had found online and then checked her makeup one last time. She couldn't wait to see Chloe in her dress. Once she made sure that her appearance was satisfactory, the brunette walked out of her house after saying goodbye to her parents and then got into her car to go pick Chloe up.

Meanwhile, Chloe was getting ready at Aubrey's house. The redhead had just finished putting on her makeup and was now putting her hair in a braided bun. Once she was done with those things, she had Aubrey help her get the dress on. "How do I look?"

"You look gorgeous. Beca's definitely going to drool when she sees you," Aubrey replied, smiling at her friend. "Now, how do I look?" She asked. The blonde was wearing a dark blue dress, and Jesse was going to be wearing a suit of the same color.

"You look stunning in that dress, Bree," Chloe said, smiling back at the blonde. "Jesse's jaw is going to drop all the way to the center of the earth when he sees you."

"You really think so?" Aubrey said, biting her lip and smiling even wider

"Oh yeah, for sure," Chloe said, nodding her head and smiling.

Just as they were saying that, Aubrey's mother called up to them. "Aubrey, Chloe! your dates are here!"

"We'll be down in a minute!" Aubrey said. She then turned to Chloe and let out a small squeal of excitement. "Well, we should probably go downstairs now. We don't want to keep our dates waiting."

"Yup," Chloe said, taking a deep breath and smiling before they left the room and started walking down the stairs.

Beca was waiting in the living room with Jesse when she heard footsteps on the staircase. She looked up to see Chloe walking down the stairs with Aubrey. _Holy shit_ , she thought to herself, unable to tear her eyes away from the redhead. Beca could feel her heartbeat quicken with every step Chloe took. She looked lovingly up at her girlfriend, a smile slowly spreading across her face. "Woah," she said once Chloe was in front of her. "You look just…woah."

"You look pretty 'woah' yourself," Chloe said, stepping back and admiring Beca for a few moments. She then leaned in and pressed a sweet kiss to her girlfriend's lips. "I love the suit, baby. It's very dapper, and very you," the redhead murmured.

"You'd think I'd have the right words to describe how incredible you look right now, but I'm at a loss," Beca stated, smiling as she looked at her beautiful girlfriend. "Plus, no words would be able to do you justice."

Jesse smiled at Aubrey and walked up to her, putting her pink wrist corsage on. "You look so damn beautiful, Aubrey," he said, leaning in and pecking his girlfriend on the lips.

"And you look so damn handsome, Jesse," Aubrey replied, smiling into the kiss. Jesse smiled and tucked her hair back a little before kissing her again.

Beca put Chloe's corsage on her wrist and then looked back up at the redhead. "I'm the luckiest lesbian in the world."

"And I'm the luckiest bisexual girl in the world," Chloe said, smiling back at Beca. "I can't even begin to tell you how happy you make me," she added.

"Alright, everybody. Get together so I can take your picture," Aubrey's mother, Lisa, said as she held up her camera.

Beca put one arm around Chloe's waist, and leaned over to kiss her cheek. She then turned her head to whisper in Chloe's ear. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, and that's not just tonight. That's all the time." After she said that, the brunette turned back to the camera and smiled for the picture.

"Thank you for taking our picture, Mrs. Posen," Jesse said to Lisa after she had taken a few pictures of the group and sent them to their parents.

"Of course. You four look great tonight," Lisa said with a smile before walking them to the door. "Be responsible," she stated as they walked out the door.

Once they got to their limo and got inside, Beca pulled out a flask she had snuck from her father's alcohol cabinet. "Here's to prom!" She said before taking a sip.

"Didn't you hear what Aubrey's mom said?" Chloe asked, chuckling and shaking her head at her girlfriend.

"Did you really think that I wasn't going to find a way to get drunk for my last prom?" Beca said with a chuckle before handing the flask over to Jesse, who smiled and then took a sip.

Chloe rolled her eyes playfully and then turned to Aubrey. "Did she get drunk for prom last year?" She asked the blonde.

"She was completely sober the whole night, actually," Aubrey said, chuckling. "Luke, Stacie, and Benji were the only ones that got drunk last year. Beca was the designated driver."

"Now that's something I find hard to believe," Chloe said, laughing along with Aubrey.

"It may be hard to believe, but it's true. I think I was more surprised by it than anyone else," Beca said, taking another sip from the flask once Jesse had given it back to her. "It's our senior prom and none of us are driving. Why not get a little tipsy?"

Chloe couldn't help but smile and laugh at her girlfriend's antics. _Oh, what the hell?_ The redhead thought to herself. She then leaned over and grabbed the flask from Beca, earning a cheer from everyone else when she took a sip from it.

"At the rate we're going, I think we'll all be more than tipsy by the time we actually get to prom," Jesse said with a chuckle, making everyone else chuckle as well.

Beca smiled and let Aubrey take a sip from the flask before putting it back in the pocket of her suit jacket. "Don't worry, I'm saving the part where I actually get drunk for when we're at prom," she said, placing her hand on Chloe's leg and running her thumb along the redhead's skin for a little bit.

"Just make sure that you drink water while we're there, okay? I don't want to have to carry you out of prom. Of course, it wouldn't be too hard since you're so small," Chloe teased, a smirk on her face.

"Ha, ha, ha. You're absolutely hilarious," Beca said sarcastically. "And for the record, you wouldn't be hard to carry either," she added, smirking back at the redhead.

When they got to the prom, Beca instantly spotted Luke at the DJ station. She smiled and waved at him before turning to Chloe. "Let me introduce you to Luke," the brunette said to the redhead. She then took her girlfriend's hand and lead her over to the DJ station. "Luke! Hey!" She called out.

"Hey, Becky! Long time no see," Luke said, smiling and opening his arms to hug Beca. Once they pulled away from the embrace, Luke noticed Chloe standing there. "Ah, so this must be the girl that you talk about all the time. Hi, I'm Luke," he said, holding his hand out for the redhead to shake.

Beca and Luke were best friends, so the two of them stayed in touch after he graduated and moved to LA. The brunette had told Luke all about Chloe and how beautiful and talented she was. Beca would go on about the redhead for hours, and Luke was always happy to listen to her. This was why he was extremely happy when Beca got together with Chloe, as he knew how deeply she cared for her.

"It's nice to meet you, Luke. Beca's told me a lot about you," Chloe said, shaking his hand and smiling at him. "You're just as handsome as she said you were," she added with a little chuckle.

"And you're just as beautiful as she said you were," Luke replied, smiling back at the redhead. "So, are you guys excited for prom?" He asked.

"Oh, definitely," Beca said, smiling and putting her arm around Chloe's waist as she spoke. "I knew that this prom was gonna be badass as soon as I heard you were going to be the DJ."

"I'm honored that you think my presence alone is enough to make this prom badass," Luke said with a chuckle. "Do either of you have any song requests?"

"I do, actually. Could you play 'Shut Up and Dance' by Walk the Moon at some point?" Chloe asked.

"Sure thing," Luke said with a smile. "What about you, Beca?"

"You stole my song request," Beca whined, making a pouty face at Chloe for a few moments. She then chuckled and turned to Luke. "I was gonna request 'Shut Up and Dance,' but since Chloe stole it, I guess I don't have a request."

"Come on, babe. There's got to be another song you can request," Chloe said with a chuckle.

A song came to Beca's mind after she thought about it for a few moments. "I'd like to hear 'With or Without You' by U2," she told Luke. The brunette picked that song partly because she liked it but also because she knew that U2 was one of Chloe's favorite bands.

"Alright, I'll get those two songs queued up right away," Luke with a smile before going over to his laptop. "Why don't you two head to the dance floor now? I'll be starting any minute now, and I'm sure you'd rather be dancing than here with me."

"It's really great to see you, Luke," Beca said with a smile before she linked her hand with Chloe's.

"It's great to see you too, Becky," Luke said, smiling back at the brunette. "And it's nice to finally meet you, Chloe. You two go have some fun now."

"We will," Beca said, smiling at her friend before she and Chloe began to walk over to the dance floor.

"Oh, wait! I almost forgot!" Luke left the DJ station and followed the two girls until he got their attention. "If you see Stacie, can you send her over to me? We haven't talked in awhile," he said.

"Yeah, of course. See you later," Beca said, waving at her friend before turning around and leading Chloe to the dance floor.

Chloe giggled a little as Beca lead her onto the dance floor. "I'm glad I got to meet Luke. He's a really nice guy."

"Yeah, he is. He's been one of my best friends for years." Beca said, smiling as they got to the dance floor.

"I can see why. I'm glad that you two have been able to keep in touch," Chloe said, smiling back at her girlfriend.

Just then, Luke started his set, and people instantly flocked over to the dance floor. The first song that the British boy had decided to play was 'Slow Hands' by Niall Horan, and the crowd instantly got into it.

Beca smiled as she and Chloe swayed to the music. "You look amazing tonight, babe," the brunette whispered in the redhead's ear. "I know I've told you that already, but I just wanted to make sure you knew how beautiful you are," she added.

"Thank you, baby," Chloe said, wrapping her arms around Beca's shoulders as they continued to dance along with the music. "You look amazing too," she whispered, nibbling on Beca's earlobe a bit as they danced together.

This action made Beca blush and turn her head away. "Are you trying to get me going already?" She asked, chuckling softly.

"Little by little," Chloe whispered, smirking as they continued to dance to the song. "Did you like that?"

Beca nodded her head. "I do like that. I like it a lot, actually," she murmured back, closing her eyes and letting Chloe nibble on her ear some more. After while, the brunette pulled away again. "Why don't we save this for when we're alone later?"

"Alright, baby. That sounds good to me." Chloe stated as they continued to dance.

About fifteen minutes later, Stacie showed up with Benji, Emily, Chicago and Allison. Chicago was Allison's date to the prom. They were going as friends, obviously, and Stacie was going stag. Beca saw Chicago wave at them and smiled. "Huh. I never thought Chicago would ask Allison to prom. If anything, I thought he would ask Stacie."

"Yeah, me too. I was certain that he would end up asking Stacie," Chloe said as Chicago and Allison walked over to them.

"Hey ladies," Chicago said, smiling and giving both of them a hug. "You guys look great."

"Thanks, Chic. You two look very nice tonight as well," Beca said, smiling at Chicago and Allison. Allison was wearing a very pretty maroon dress and Chicago had a suit of the same color with a white shirt and a black tie.

"I'm gonna go get a drink," Allison said, excusing herself from the group and leaving the three of them to talk.

"To be honest, I thought you were gonna ask Stacie," Beca said once Allison had walked away. "Don't get me wrong, Allison is awesome. I guess I just didn't see you going to prom with her."

"I did ask Stacie," Chicago said, cringing for a moment. "But she turned me down. She just said that she wanted to go alone."

Beca and Chloe exchanged a knowing glance before they looked back at Chicago. "I'm sorry about that, buddy," Beca said, putting a hand on Chicago's shoulder and smiling sympathetically at him. "If it helps, you and Allison look great together."

"Thanks. I figured it would be fun to go with a friend. She picked out the color, and I have say we both look dashing," Chicago said, seeing Allison walking back over to them out of the corner of his eye. "Enjoy your prom, guys."

"Here," Beca said, taking her flask out from her pocket after making sure that nobody was looking. "Take a shot."

"Don't mind if I do," Chicago said with a chuckle. He took a shot and then handed the flask back to Beca. "Have fun tonight, you two," he said before going to dance with Allison.

"You know, if you keep letting other people drink from your flask, you're not going to have enough left to get drunk," Chloe said with a chuckle once she and Beca started dancing again.

"Don't worry, I snuck a whiskey bottle into the limo so I can go and refill it anytime I want," Beca said, making Chloe laugh even more. After they stopped laughing, Beca noticed that 'With or Without You' was playing. She then placed her hands on Chloe's waist before leaning in to kiss her. "I sent the song I wrote for you to Luke a couple days ago. It's gonna be the last song he plays tonight."

"Oh really?" Chloe said, playfully raising an eyebrow. "I'm looking forward to hearing it, then. What's the song called?" She asked.

"'Photograph,'" Beca said, smiling as she slow-danced with her beautiful girlfriend. She then leaned in and kissed Chloe again. "I think you'll really, really like this one. You may even love it."

"It must be a good one then if there's a possibility that I'll love it," Chloe said, giggling a little. When their lips parted, the redhead leaned her forehead against the brunette's and smiled softly.

As they continued to dance, Beca thought about why Stacie had said no to Chicago. She knew that Stacie had feelings for him, but why would that keep her from saying yes to his promposal? Beca was aware of the fact that Stacie was over Luke, so she knew making a pass at Luke wasn't the reason Stacie had declined Chicago's offer.

As they danced together, Chloe could tell that Beca was thinking about something, so she decided to ask. "What are you thinking about, babe?"

"I'm just curious as to why Stacie turned down Chicago for prom." Beca said, resting her hands on her girlfriend's waist.

"Well, maybe she felt like Chicago might've lead her on if she said yes," Chloe replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"Chicago's not like that," Beca said, shaking her head. "Chicago isn't the type of guy to lead a girl on and then break her heart. Plus, he's never had feelings for Stacie. I think he genuinely wanted to go to prom with her as a friend."

"I agree. But maybe Stacie didn't want to take that risk. It hurts to be lead on by someone, and while I don't think that Chicago would've lead her on, I can understand if she said no because she didn't want to be lead on," Chloe said.

Beca thought about Chloe's words for a moment, starting to understand where Chloe may be coming from. "I see your point," she said, nodding her head. "Let's not focus on right now, though. This our night."

Later that night, Stacie walked up to Luke. "Hey, Luke. How are you?" She asked, smiling at her ex-boyfriend.

"I'm doing well. How about you?" Luke asked, smiling back at the tall brunette. "It's been awhile since we've talked," he added.

"I'm doing well too. I'm going into the pre-med program at the University of Washington," Stacie told him, still smiling.

"Just like you planned," Luke said, smiling happily. "That's amazing, Stacie. I'm so happy for you. I know how hard you've worked to get there, and you deserve it."

"Thanks, Luke," Stacie said, smiling even wider. "And you've certainly earned all your success. I heard that you're a pretty popular DJ in LA now."

"I am. I have a gig at a club almost every night," Luke replied. "It's really fun. If you're ever in LA, I'll make sure to put you on the VIP list," he added with a chuckle as he transitioned to the next song. "So, any new guys in your life?"

Stacie hesitated for a moment and then shook her head. "No, not at the moment," she answered, looking down. "What about you? Is there a special someone you're seeing?"

"No, not really," Luke said, shaking his head. "My job doesn't give me much time off," he explained. "But maybe I'll find someone someday." He then noticed the way Stacie was looking at Chicago while he and Allison slow-danced to "The Reason." This made a small smile appear on his face. "You know, you can tell me if there is someone."

Stacie looked back at Luke and bit her lip. She looked down for a moment and then looked back up, taking a deep breath. "There kinda is someone," she said softly. "But we're not together. Not even close," she added quickly.

"But you want to be with him, right?" Luke asked, putting a song up to play after this one was finished.

Stacie nodded her head slowly. "Yeah, I do. It's never gonna happen, though. He doesn't see me in the way that I see him," she said sadly.

"Well, I never thought that I would be lucky enough to date you for three years, but I did," Luke said, smiling softly. "Anything can happen, Stace, even if you don't expect it to," he said, bringing her in for a hug. "Any guy would be more than lucky to call you his girlfriend, and maybe one day that guy will realize it."

"Thanks, Luke," Stacie said, smiling as she embraced her friend. She then looked over at the dance floor again. "I should probably get back out there. Thanks for listening to me. I really appreciate it."

"What are friends for?" Luke replied, kissing her cheek and winking at her before letting her go enjoy the rest of her prom night.

Soon, the end of prom approached, and Luke came onto the microphone for the third time that evening. "Alright, Everyone. It saddens me to say that this next song will be our last," he said, clearing his throat before continuing. "But this next song is dedicated to Chloe Beale from her girlfriend, Beca Mitchell. Beca also wanted me to tell you how sexy you look tonight. This is for you, Chloe."

"Photograph"- Ed Sheeran

"Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes.

But it's only thing that I know.

When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes.

It is the only thing that makes us feel alive.

We keep this love in a photograph.

We made these memories for ourselves.

Where our eyes are never closing,

Hearts are never broken,

And time's forever frozen still.

So you can keep me

Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans,

Holding me closer till our eyes meet.

You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home."

Chloe leaned her head on Beca's shoulder as they slow-danced to the beautiful song. "I love you," she whispered to her girlfriend with a smile as tears of joy welled up in her eyes.

"I love you too, Chlo," Beca whispered back, kissing her girlfriend's temple as they slowly swayed back and forth .

"Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul.

And it's the only thing that I know.

I swear it will get easier, remember that with every piece of ya.

It's the only thing we take with us when we die.

We keep this love in a photograph.

We make these memories for ourselves.

Where our eyes are never closing,

Hearts are never broken,

Time's forever frozen still.

So you can keep me

Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans,

Holding me closer till our eyes meet.

You won't ever be alone.

And if you hurt me, that's okay baby.

Only words bleed, inside these pages

You just hold me

And I won't ever let you go.

Wait for me to come home.

Wait for me to come home.

Wait for me to come home.

Wait for me to come home."

Beca wrapped her arms around Chloe's waist as they swayed to the music and then leaned forward, starting to sing along in a soft voice.

"Oh you can fit me

Inside the necklace you got when you were sixteen,

Next to your heartbeat where I should be.

Keep it deep within your soul.

And if you hurt me, that's okay baby.

Only words bleed, inside these pages

You just hold me

And I won't ever let you go.

When I'm away, I will remember how you kissed me

Under the lamppost back on Sixth Street.

Hearing you whisper through the phone,

'Wait for me to come home.'"

Chloe looked into Beca's eyes, happy tears now falling freely down her face as the song finished. She had never felt her heart beat so fast, and she had never felt more in love than in that exact moment. Chloe then leaned in and pressed a soft yet passionate kiss on Beca's lips, knowing it was the perfect way to end the dance.

 **Awww, what a sweet chapter! Beca wrote that song for Chloe, Luke restored Stacie's faith in love, and everyone had a good prom! What shall happen next in part 2? Stay Tuned.**

 **Until Next Time!**


	28. Chapter 28: Prom! Part 2

Chapter 28: Prom! Part Two

"That was definitely the best school dance I've ever been to," Beca said before taking a sip of her Oreo milkshake. She, Chloe, Jesse, and Aubrey were currently continuing the prom night festivities at Cal's Zone, even though the dance itself had ended a little over a half hour ago.

"I agree. That was a lot of fun," Jesse said with a chuckle, slurring his words a little bit. The four of them had gotten pretty drunk at the prom, so it was safe to say that they were more giggly than usual, especially Beca and Chloe.

"That was so much fun, you guys!" Chloe said, giggling a little before taking a sip of her strawberry milkshake. "What was your guys' favorite song that Luke played?" She asked, slurring her words a little bit as well.

"Mine would have to be 'Photograph,' although I might be a little biased since I wrote that one," Beca said, following her statement up with a brief bout of laughter as she thought what she said was hilarious.

"That was my favorite too," Chloe said, leaning over and kissing Beca's cheek sloppily before turning back to Jesse and Aubrey. "What about you two? Did you guys have a favorite song?" She asked.

"I liked all the songs, really," Aubrey answered. "Luke's an incredible DJ, that's for sure. His song choices were great. I can see why he's been doing so well down in LA."

Jesse nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, he did play some really good songs. I'm glad that he played 'The Middle' by Jimmy Eat World. That's always been one of my favorite songs," he said, smiling.

"I'm hungry," Beca said all of a sudden, causing the other three people at the table to chuckle. "What? I am. Let's order some pizza or something."

"I could eat a slice or two," Jesse said, shrugging his shoulders.

"I could too, now that I think of it," Chloe said. The four of them nodded in agreement and then ordered a large pepperoni pizza the next time their waiter came by their table. They then continued to talk about prom after the waiter walked away. "So, what do you guys think about Chicago and Allison going to prom together?" Chloe said to Jesse and Aubrey.

"I didn't see that one coming at all. I was convinced that he was going to ask Stacie," Aubrey said.

"He did ask her, actually, but she turned him down," Beca said, taking another sip of her milkshake. "He said her reason for turning him down was that she wanted to go alone."

"Huh, that's a little weird," Jesse said, scratching the back of his head and furrowing his eyebrows a little. "Did she say why she wanted to go alone?"

Beca shook her head. "No, she didn't. Not according to Chicago, at least," she replied. The brunette wasn't going to tell Jesse and Aubrey that Stacie had feelings for Chicago. She did tell Chloe, but she only did that because she felt that the redhead had a right to know. Chicago was her ex, after all. Plus, Beca promised Stacie that she wouldn't tell, and she wasn't one for breaking promises.

After a few moments of thinking to himself, Jesse shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well. Chicago and Allison looked like they were having a good time together, and I imagine that Stacie probably had fun too. That's all that matters, right?"

"Exactly. That's all that matters," Chloe said, smiling and sipping her milkshake.

Their pizza came out about ten minutes later and the four of them finished it rather quickly. Beca took out her phone to check the time and raised her eyebrows when she saw how late it was. "Guys, it's almost one in the morning. We better get to the limo so we can all get home."

"Is it really?" Chloe asked before giggling a little. "I didn't think that we'd manage to be out this late."

"Well then, we'd better pay and get out of here," Jesse said.

They each paid their fair share for the pizza and milkshakes before walking out to the limo together. The limo driver dropped off Jesse and Aubrey at their houses first before taking Chloe and Beca back to theirs.

Once they got back to their homes, Beca thanked the driver and gave him a handsome tip before getting out of the limo and walking with Chloe to her front porch. When they got to the door, the two girls stopped walking. Beca turned to her girlfriend and smiled before biting her lip. "I had the best night of my life with you tonight."

"Good. I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I had a great time too," Chloe said, biting her lip as well. A moment of silence passed before the redhead spoke up again. "You know, the night's not over yet."

"No, it's not," Beca replied before tucking a few stray pieces of red hair behind Chloe's ear. "I still have to kiss you before we call it a night," the brunette stated before cupping the redhead's cheeks with her hands and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

Chloe smiled into the kiss and wrapped her arms around Beca's neck as their lips moved together in perfect sync. The kiss lasted for quite awhile, the two girls only pulling away when they needed to catch their breath. The redhead smiled even more when their lips parted and then leaned her forehead against the brunette's. "I love you, Becs," she whispered.

"I love you too, Chlo," Beca whispered back, smiling and closing her eyes for a moment. Her hands then moved down to Chloe's waist, where her thumbs traced small circles against her girlfriend's dress.

Chloe smiled and closed her eyes as well. She then leaned forward and kissed Beca again, bringing the brunette closer as she did so. The redhead slowly backed up against the door, not breaking the kiss.

Beca kissed Chloe back, her grip tightening slightly on Chloe's hips as her lips moved in sync with the redhead's. She broke the kiss once again to catch her breath. "We don't have to say goodnight yet," she muttered, breathing heavily.

"Good, because I don't want to say goodnight just yet," Chloe murmured back, gazing lovingly into Beca's and smiling softly.

A smile appeared on Beca's face and she leaned in to kiss Chloe again, reaching behind her to open the door at the same time. As they went up the stairs, their lips never broke contact, except for when they stopped to take off their shoes. Beca's hands roamed Chloe's body and her lips moved to her girlfriend's neck when they got to the top of the stairs. The two stumbled over to Chloe's bedroom door and slammed against it. Beca continued to kiss Chloe's skin roughly, sucking a hickey into her collarbone as her hands ran along the redhead's sides.

"Shit," Chloe cursed, running her fingers through Beca's hair and tugging at the ends of it while the brunette kissed her neck. The two girls made their way over to Chloe's bed and the redhead lay down, smiling at the brunette on top of her.

"Will we wake up your parents?" Beca asked, tugging at Chloe's earlobe with her teeth gently before kissing her weak spot right behind her ear.

"It depends on how far we go," Chloe replied, closing her eyes and moaning softly when Beca's lips moved to her weak spot. "If they didn't wake up when you slammed me against the door just now, then I don't think anything else will wake them up," she added, chuckling softly.

Beca chuckled along with Chloe while she continued to press kisses to the girls collarbone before moving back up to kiss her lips. Beca's hands ran along Chloe's legs, pushing up the end of her dress while their tongues danced together.

Chloe hummed in approval of the kiss as their tongues battled for dominance. The redhead felt Beca's hand moving up her leg and suddenly broke the kiss. "Beca, wait."

The brunette instantly stopped what she was doing, a concerned look on her face. "Did I do something wrong?" She asked, biting her lip nervously.

Chloe lay there in silence for a moment as she thought of how to phrase this. There they were, their bodies pressed together and their hearts racing at a million miles per hour. As much as she wanted to keep going, they were both drunk and probably wouldn't remember this in the morning. "I want to do this with you, but I also want our first time to be something we both remember," she said. These words caused a blanket of silence to fall over them, and the redhead bit her lip as she anxiously awaited Beca's response. "Please don't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you, Chlo," Beca said, sighing softly and running her fingers through her hair. There was another moment of silence between them. "I wasn't...pressuring you, right? Was I pressuring you?"

"No, of course not. You weren't pressuring me at all," Chloe said genuinely. "I want to do this with you so badly. I just want to be sober enough to remember what it feels like to be with you in the most intimate way," the redhead stated. "I love you so much, Becs. I want to do this with you, just not like this." She then pulled Beca down into a kiss. "You have to admit that we're both pretty shitfaced right now," she said with a giggle.

"Yeah, we are," Beca said, chuckling along with her girlfriend. The brunette broke the kiss after a few moments and gazed into the redhead's eyes. "You know I'd never try to pressure you into doing anything, right?" She asked in a soft voice.

Chloe instantly nodded her head. "I trust you more than anyone I've ever met, Beca," she said, wrapping her arms around Beca's neck as she looked into Beca's beautiful midnight blue eyes. "I know you'd never try and force me to do something that I wasn't ready for. You never have, and I know you never will."

Beca nodded her head and smiled softly. "I just wanted to make sure, that's all. I never want you to be put in a position where you feel like I'm making you do something that you don't want to. I'd hate myself if I ever made you feel that way."

"Well, you should know that you have always made me feel loved." Chloe said, smiling. She pulled Beca into one more soothing kiss. "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, and I can't wait to have sex with you when the time comes."

Beca smiled into the kiss, gently tugging at Chloe's bottom lip with her teeth before pulling away. "Sorry if I made this awkward. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing anything wrong," she said, smiling sheepishly.

"You didn't do anything wrong at all, Beca," Chloe said, smiling at her. "Trust me," she said before sitting up and kissing Beca's cheek. "There is something we could do if you're up for it," she mentioned a few moments later.

"And what's that something?" Beca asked curiously, feeling her face heat up where Chloe's lips had been.

"Would you maybe want to take a shower with me?" Chloe asked, playfully wiggling her eyebrows at Beca.

"Yeah, sure. I'd like that. I'd like that a lot, actually," Beca asked, the smile on her face growing wider as she spoke.

"Come with me, then," Chloe said, taking her girlfriend by the hand and walking to the bathroom with her. Once they were in there, Chloe closed the door and turned on the shower before turning Beca and smiling. "Are you ready to see me naked for the first time?" She asked, smirking a little.

"I don't know. Am I?" Beca replied, smirking back at her girlfriend. "What about you? Are you ready to see me naked for the first time?"

Chloe smiled and nodded. "Do you want me to take off my clothes first? Or do you want to take off yours before me?"

Beca shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't matter to me. Whatever floats your boat, babe," she said, winking at the redhead after she finished speaking.

"Well then, why don't you undress first?" Chloe said with a smirk. The redhead then bit her lip, excited to see Beca naked for the first time.

"Alrighty," Beca said before she started to undress. The brunette had already taken off her suit jacket, so she started with her vest. She then went to her bow tie but was having a hard time untying it. "Are you gonna help me with this, or are you just gonna stand there and watch me struggle?" Beca asked, chuckling a little.

Chloe chuckled and then walked up to Beca, untying her bow tie while Beca worked on her belt and her pants. Once Chloe had the bow tie off, she started unbuttoning Beca's shirt, her breath catching in her throat when she saw Beca's push-up bra. "Woah," she said, blinking a couple times to make sure that the sight in front of her wasn't a hallucination.

Beca smiled and blushed a little, looking down at the floor for a couple moments before looking back up at Chloe. "Do you want to take off my bra too?" She asked, biting her lip.

The redhead nodded and then reached behind Beca's back, unclipping and then taking off the brunette's bra. Seeing her girlfriend topless for the first time was something that Chloe deeply enjoyed. "You're so damn beautiful," the redhead muttered under her breath.

Beca was blushing even harder now. "Thanks, Chlo," she said shyly, smiling and looking down at the floor again. She then took off her pants, leaving her in only her underwear. "Wanna take these off for me, babe?" She asked, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Do you even have to ask that question?" Chloe said with a chuckle, leaning in and giving Beca a short but sweet kiss on the lips before removing the girl's underwear.

Beca smirked once she was completely naked in front of Chloe. She was pretty fit due to working out everyday. Her arms and legs were toned from basketball, and her abs were pretty close to being rock-hard. An even bigger smirk appeared on her face when she saw an expression of awe on her girlfriend's face. "Like what you see?"

"Y-yeah," Chloe stuttered, still shamelessly ogling her girlfriend. The redhead was blushing so hard that her face was even redder than her hair, but she didn't care. "Holy shit, Becs. You're so hot."

"Thank you," Beca said, unable to keep the smile off of her face. "Now, let's get that dress off of you," she stated before turning Chloe around and slowly unzipping her dress. Beca then let Chloe take the dress off, leaving her in her bra and underwear. "Holy shit," she muttered under her breath, quietly whistling to herself after she finished speaking.

Now it was Chloe's turn to blush. The redhead turned around and then wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck, gazing into her eyes. "Would you like to take my bra off for me?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and biting down on her lip.

The brunette instantly nodded and kissed Chloe's lip softly while her hands reached around to Chloe's back, easily slipping her bra off and letting it fall to the floor. Beca then stepped back to take in the sight in front of her. "Fucking hell, Chlo," she murmured softly. Beca knew she was luckier than most people in the world to have Chloe as her girlfriend, but seeing her naked was a whole other level of lucky.

"Do you like what you see?" Chloe asked, even though she already knew the answer to that question. The smile on her face turned into a smirk as she watched her girlfriend's eyes travel up and down her body.

Beca pressed a couple kisses to Chloe's chest before moving back up to kiss her lips. "I love what I'm seeing, because I'm seeing you," she whispered. She then took off Chloe's underwear while Chloe took out the braided bun in her hair, letting it fall in its natural waves. "Wow," Beca said as she stepped back again to get a full view of Chloe.

Chloe allowed Beca to take in the view for a few moments before walking forward and taking her hand. The redhead then turned around and led the brunette into the shower, sighing happily when she felt strong arms wrap around her waist from behind. "I love you, baby."

"I love you more than anything in this world," Beca whispered, holding Chloe's body close to hers. Her lips kissed the back of Chloe's shoulder, smiling against the girl's skin. "You're the most beautiful thing that I've ever seen," she added, continuing to leave kisses on Chloe's skin while the warm water came down on them.

Chloe closed her eyes and leaned back into Beca's embrace, a smile slowly spreading across her face. "I've never felt so loved in my entire life," she murmured, another happy sigh falling from her lips.

Beca smiled and turned Chloe's head so they could share a sweet kiss. She leaned into it and then backed up against the shower wall, pulling Chloe with her. Her hands scratched at the dip in Chloe's back, and she couldn't help but smile when she felt Chloe's arms wrap around her neck.

Chloe broke the kiss and leaned her forehead against Beca's, her eyes still closed. "As nice as this is, we should probably actually take a shower instead of make out the whole time," she murmured, giggling softly.

These words made Beca whine a little. "But I wanna make out with you." She complained, giving Chloe a pouty lip and puppy eyes.

"I'll give you a little reward if you cooperate," Chloe said, smirking and then winking at Beca.

This made Beca instantly perk up. "Before I decide whether or not I'm going to cooperate, can you tell me what the reward is?" The brunette asked.

"I'll let you have a little fun with my breasts," Chloe answered, smirking when Beca's eyes went wide. "And not just with your hands, but your mouth too."

Beca needed no further convincing. "I would be happy to actually take a shower with you, babe. It would be an honor, actually," she said a little too enthusiastically, a big smile appearing on her face as well. Chloe smirked and kissed Beca's lips before they shampooed and conditioned their hair. They then washed their bodies and got out of the shower. Chloe grabbed a towel for herself and a towel for Beca as they walked out of the shower.

"Do you have a pair of pajamas that I can borrow?" Beca asked as they walked back to Chloe's room. "Also, am I going to get my reward now?"

Chloe chuckled. "Yes and yes," she said before going to her drawer and getting some pajamas for had picked a shirt that would be easy for Beca to lift up when she got her reward. After getting dressed, Chloe lay down on her bed and smiled. "I'm ready for you, babe."

Beca smiled and then walked over to Chloe, sitting down on the edge of the bed. The brunette leaned down and kissed the redhead's lips softly, pulling away after a few moments to gaze into her eyes. "You're incredible, Chloe Beale," she whispered.

"And so are you, Beca Mitchell," Chloe said, smiling up at her girlfriend. They gazed into each other's eyes for a few moments before Chloe leaned up and kissed her girlfriend again. "You can have your reward now if you want."

"I do want my reward now," Beca said, smiling and then kissing Chloe's lips again. When their lips parted, the brunette moved to the redhead's neck, leaving a couple soft kisses on her skin before moving down to her collarbone.

Chloe ran her hands through Beca's damp hair as she kissed along her skin. "Mmm, I love your sweet lady kisses," she mumbled, closing her eyes and sighing with content.

"Oh really? I couldn't tell," Beca said, chuckling a little. She then went back to leaving a trail of kisses on her girlfriend's skin, making sure that not even an inch of skin was left untouched.

"Aren't you glad that you cooperated?" Chloe asked, biting her lip as Beca's hands got closer to her breasts.

"Definitely. You'll be glad that I cooperated too," Beca whispered back with a smirk. The brunette then snuck her hand under the redhead's shirt and took one of her breasts in her hand, squeezing it gently to see how she would react.

This caused the redhead to let out a soft gasp, doing her best to keep quiet since her parents' room was just down the hall. "That feels nice, babe," she murmured.

Beca's smirk grew and she squeezed Chloe's breast again, this time a little harder. "How nice does it feel?" She asked.

"So nice, Becs," Chloe moaned, loving how good her girlfriend was with her hands. She could only imagine what moans would come out of her body once Beca put her mouth there.

"That's what I like to hear," Beca said, taking Chloe's other breast in her hand and squeezing it. She leaned into kiss Chloe on the lips while her hands continued to knead Chloe's breasts. "Mmm, I can't wait to hear you moan once I start sucking on them," she said with a huge smirk on her face.

Another moan fell from Chloe's lips, this one louder than the previous ones. The redhead then closed her eyes and bit down on her lip, squirming with anticipation. "Please do that, baby," she begged.

Beca leaned in and kissed Chloe on the lips before moving down to her breasts, moving both of her hands to rest on her waist. She started by pressing gentle kisses right above each one before she pulled Chloe to sit on her lap. Beca then began to suck softly on Chloe's left breast, each kiss getting a little rougher as she continued to move towards her nipple. When she got to Chloe's nipple, she began to suck on it while swirling her tongue around.

"Shit!" Chloe groaned, pushing Beca's head down closer to her chest. She ran her fingers through her girlfriend's hair, occasionally tugging at the ends of it. "Shit, Beca! Keep doing that!"

Chloe's moans spurred Beca on, and she continued her ministrations while her hands moved up and down Chloe's sides. Beca would occasionally let out a soft moan when Chloe tugged on her hair. She sucked a small hickey into Chloe's skin right above her nipple as a way of marking her territory before kissing a trail across the redhead's chest to her other breast.

"Fucking hell, Becs," Chloe whimpered, tugging at the ends of Beca's hair once again. The redhead threw her head back against the pillows, her back beginning to arch off of the bed as well.

Beca swirled her tongue around the circumference of Chloe's breast before sucking her nipple to make it stand erect. "I could suck on your tits for hours," she muttered, flicking her tongue on Chloe's nipple before stuffing the girl's entire breast into her mouth.

"We've got plenty of time, baby. You can do this for hours if you want," Chloe moaned back, running her fingers through Beca's hair and sighing with content.

A smile appeared on Beca's face as Chloe said this, and she moved to the other side. She took Chloe's entire breast into her mouth and flicked her tongue on Chloe's nipple as she did so. Chloe's moans were constant now, and the redhead squirmed under the brunette's touch. "Shit, Becs. This feels so good," she moaned, biting down on her lip and trying to keep as quiet as possible.

Beca moved one hand up to massage Chloe's other breast while she worked on the other one with her mouth, knowing it would double the amount of pleasure Chloe was feeling. "You're so sexy," she mumbled, loving the sounds Chloe was making.

Chloe then cupped Beca's face in her hands and brought her up into a kiss. The kiss lasted for awhile, as the redhead deepened the kiss by sneaking her tongue in the brunette's mouth. When their lips finally parted, the two gazed into each other's eyes for a few moments.

Beca was the first to break the silence. "Chlo," the brunette whispered breathlessly. Her hand remained on the girl's breast and was now kneading it. "I can't even begin to describe how fucking sexy you are," she said, leaning down to place a couple kisses on her jawline before pulling back to look into the redhead's beautiful blue eyes.

"I can say the same thing about you, babe," Chloe said, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. "I love you so much, Becs, and I'm so lucky to have you in my life."

"I love you too, Chlo," Beca said before pressing a gentle kiss to Chloe's lips. She pulled back after a few moments and smiled at her. "So, how much did you enjoy that?"

"I think you already know the answer to that question, considering how many times I moaned," Chloe said, smiling and blushing a little.

"I know," Beca said with a smile before she kissed Chloe's lips. "And when the time comes for us to take this a step further, I'm going to give you everything I have," she whispered.

"So will I," Chloe said, smiling and biting her lip at Beca. "Can you stay with me tonight?" She asked.

"You know I can't say no to that," Beca said. She fixed Chloe's shirt and kissed her one more time before turning off the lamp on the bedside table. She then wrapped her arms around the redhead's waist and pulled her close. "I love sleeping next to you," she whispered before kissing her girlfriend's cheek. "Goodnight, my love," she whispered.

"Goodnight, baby. I love you," Chloe whispered back, a small smile on her face, The redhead then closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep. She had never been happier in her whole life.

 **So? What did you guys think of this chapter? Seems like things are getting more and more heated between Beca and Chloe, I wonder when they will take that next step. Plus, do you think Stacie will act on her feelings for Chicago? Keep reading to find out!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	29. Chapter 29: Graduation

Chapter 29: Graduation

"Chloe, it's time to head to school! We're going to be late if you don't hurry!" Patrick called out to his daughter. Today was graduation day for the Hartford High School Class of 2018. The ceremony started at noon, and all the seniors needed to be there an hour early.

"Okay, Dad! I heard you the first time! I'll be down in a second!" Chloe called back. The redhead looked at herself in the mirror one last time to make sure her appearance was satisfactory. Once she had done that, she went downstairs. "Alright, I'm ready to go."

"You look beautiful, sweetheart," Patrick said, smiling and handing Chloe her jacket. "I can't believe my baby girl is graduating from high school and going off to Juilliard in two and a half months."

"Thanks, Dad," Chloe said, taking her jacket and smiling back at him. "And I can't believe it either. It feels like the beginning of the school year was just yesterday."

"To me, it feels like you were starting kindergarten just yesterday," Patrick stated with a smile. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. You've already done so many amazing things with your life, and I know you'll continue to do that in New York," he said before giving his daughter a hug.

Chloe smiled and hugged her father back. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you and Mom. You both have been so supportive of me, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate that."

Cindy then walked in with her coat on and she smiled at her daughter. "You ready to go, high school graduate?" She asked, walking up and hugging her as well.

"I am, but I'm not a high school graduate just yet," Chloe said with a chuckle as she hugged her mom back.

"Well, you're about to be one," Cindy said before kissing her daughter's cheek. "Let's go. We don't want you to be late."

Next door, Beca and her parents were also about to head over to the graduation ceremony. "You're all grown up now, Beca, and I couldn't be more proud of the person you've become," Cala said, smiling at her daughter as tears of joy welled up in her eyes.

"Thank you, Mom," Beca said, smiling and giving her mother a hug. "I love you and am so grateful for everything you've done for me."

"You don't need to thank me, sweetie. I was just doing my job as your parent," Cala replied. "But you're welcome anyway," she added.

Jacob then walked in with Henry and Hailee, who were both holding something behind their backs. "This is a little something for you to take with you to LA," he said with a smile before the twins revealed what they were carrying. Hailee was holding a brand new pair of recording headphones, and Henry was holding a brand new laptop for recording music. "Congratulations on graduating, Beca."

Beca gasped and put her hand over her mouth. "Oh my gosh! Thank you!" She exclaimed, hugging her father and both of the twins before taking the gifts from them. "Wow, you guys. This is so sweet, but it's too much."

"You're gonna need to record your music while you're in LA, and this equipment will help you do that," Jacob said, smiling at his daughter. "You've earned this after paying for your own car, getting straight As, being captain of the basketball team, and running that band of yours. You've worked harder than just about anyone I've ever met," he said, giving her another hug. "This is just what you deserve."

"Thank you, Dad," Beca said, smiling as she embraced her father. "You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you so much."

"No problem, kiddo," Jacob said, kissing the top of his daughter's head. "We do need to get going now, though. You can't be late to your own graduation." The five of them then piled into their family car and headed over to the school.

While they were in the car, Beca took her phone out of her pocket and sent a text message to Chloe.

 **Beca:** Hey, babe. You nervous?

 **Chloe:** I'm doing alright. Wbu?

Chloe smiled as she waited for Beca to text her back. They would officially be on summer break after the graduation ceremony, and Chloe couldn't wait to spend most of her summer with Beca. A few seconds later, her phone buzzed with a reply from her girlfriend.

 **Beca:** Same here, surprisingly. I can't believe that our summer break is only a few hours away :)

 **Chloe:** I know, babe! I can't wait to spend my summer with you ;)

 **Beca:** I can't wait for our summer together either. It's gonna be a lot of fun ;)

Cala turned around to check on Beca and the twins, who were all sitting in the backseat together. A small smile crossed her face when she saw her daughter on her phone. "Who are you texting, Beca?"

"Chloe," Beca answered with a smile. The brunette turned off her phone after she replied to Chloe's text and put it back in her pocket, still smiling. "We're just talking about summer break, that's all," the brunette said, unable to stop smiling as she thought of the redhead.

"Ah, I see. Are you guys making any plans for summer break?" Cala asked curiously.

"Actually, we've made a ton already," Beca said, smiling. "I'm gonna take her to the Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho because she's never been there before. That's one of the many things we've decided to do."

"That should be fun for you two. What else have you decided to do?" Jacob asked, glancing at his daughter in the rearview mirror.

"Well, we're also going to a Tori Kelly concert in June. Chloe's parents got her two tickets for her birthday and she's taking me with her," Beca said, smiling even wider. "I'm really excited for that too."

"That's great to hear, sweetie. I'm glad that you two have been and are going to be spending so much time together," Cala replied with a smile. "When does she leave for Juilliard?" She asked.

"The twelfth of August," Beca said, biting her lip and looking down for a moment. "We're still talking about whether or not we can make long distance work."

"I think that you two could make long distance work," Jacob said. "Of course, the decision is up to you, but I do truly believe that you could make it work. I've seen how happy she makes you, and I know that you make her really happy as well."

"You really think I make her that happy?" Beca asked, a curious tone in her voice and a hopeful smile on her face.

Jacob nodded his head and smiled back at his daughter through the rearview mirror. "Of course I do, Beca. In fact, I don't just think you make her happy. I know you make her happy," he told her with a genuine voice.

These words made Beca's heart beat happily, and her smile grew even wider. "Maybe we can make it work. I mean, I hope we can."

"I am too. I'm pretty confident that you two will make it work. Of course, it's your decision, but I think I can speak for both myself and your mother when I say that we hope you two stay together," Jacob said.

"I hope we do too," Beca said, smiling. "I've never been in love with anyone like I am with Chloe," she stated confidently.

When they got to the school, they saw a stage set up on the football field with about four hundred and fifty chairs in front of it. Those chairs were for the graduating seniors, while parents and other family members were to sit in the bleachers for the ceremony. The Mitchell family parked their car in the parking lot and everyone got out. "So this is where we go our separate ways until later," Beca said, hugging her parents and the twins again. "Thank you guys for coming. Having you here means a lot."

"We wouldn't miss this for the world, sweetheart," Cala said, smiling. "Now you better go get to your seat. We'll see you after the ceremony."

Beca smiled and waved at her family before turning and walking towards the football stadium. While she was walking, she saw Jesse walking with Aubrey, so she decided to call out to them. "Hey Jesse, Aubrey! Over here!"

Both Jesse and Aubrey turned to see their friend waving at them. "Hey, Becaw! Happy graduation day!" Jesse said smiling widely.

Beca chuckled and shook her head. "You know how much I hate that nickname. I'll let it slide just for today since it's graduation day, but I don't want to hear it after today," she said.

"Sounds like a deal to me. So, how are you?" Jesse asked as the three of them walked towards where they were supposed to line up for the procession at the beginning of the ceremony.

"I'm doing pretty well. How about you guys?" Beca asked. "Can you believe we're finally graduating?"

"It's pretty crazy, isn't it?" Aubrey stated with a chuckle. "It seems like we were tiny little freshmen just yesterday."

"You can say that again," Jesse said, chuckling along with Aubrey and nodding his head in agreement.

"Have either of you seen Chloe?" Beca asked. As soon those words came out of her mouth, she saw a flash of red hair out of the corner of her eye. The brunette turned to see the redhead walking towards them. She was wearing a beautiful white sundress and some heels, her hair down in its natural waves. "Wow," Beca murmured to herself, whistling softly as well. _I have the most beautiful girlfriend in the world_ , she thought. "Hey, baby."

"Hey, babe," Chloe said, smiling back at Beca and then giving her a quick peck on the lips. "You look hot today," she murmured when their lips parted.

"I can say the same thing about you, Chlo. You look absolutely gorgeous today, although it's not that unusual since you look absolutely gorgeous all the time," Beca replied.

This made Chloe blush a little before turning to talk to Jesse and Aubrey. "Stacie's our class valedictorian, so she's going to be giving the closing speech," the redhead told them.

"Really? That's awesome. I can't wait to hear her speech," Jesse said with a smile. "I especially can't wait until they award the diplomas. How many names do you think they'll mispronounce this year?" He asked, chuckling.

"My guess is that they'll mispronounce at least one third of the names," Chloe said with a chuckle as they waited in line.

"Yeah, that's probably what it'll end up being. I, for one, will be very disappointed if they don't call up 'Jesse Swansong,'" Beca said, chuckling along with Chloe. "I'll also be very disappointed if they don't call up 'Aubrey Poison."

"Ha, ha, ha. Very funny, Beca," Aubrey said sarcastically, playfully rolling her eyes at the brunette after she finished speaking.

"I still haven't heard your middle name, Beca," Chloe mentioned. "I hope I get to hear it today," she added, linking her hand with Beca's.

"You don't know what her middle name is? It's-" Jesse started, unable to finish his sentence before Beca slapped him on the shoulder to silence him.

"Jesse! Shut up!" Beca said, furrowing her eyebrows and then looking down so Chloe didn't see that she had started to blush.

"Why? She's gonna find out what it is anyways," Jesse said, chuckling at his friend.

"You know I won't make fun of you for it, right?" Chloe said, leaning over and kissing Beca's cheek.

"I know. It's just that my middle name is stupid and embarrassing," Beca said, still looking down at the ground as she crossed her arms.

Chloe smiled and then lifted Beca's chin so they were face to face. "I know that whatever your middle name is, I'll love it."

"I'm sure you will," Beca grumbled back, although she was no longer frowning and her arms were no longer crossed. In fact, the brunette was having trouble keeping a smile off of her face.

Soon, their principle came up and announced that they were ready to start. Everyone got into their places and started walking out onto the football field. Beca smiled when she saw her family up in the bleachers out of the corner of her eye, and she turned to wave at them before she reached her seat.

The ceremony started with speeches from both the principal and the vice principal. Next, a few of their fellow classmates gave speeches. Then came the moment of truth—the moment when everyone would walk across the stage and receive their diploma.

Cynthia Rose and Benji were the first of the friend group to be awarded their diplomas, as they both had last names beginning with A. Chloe was the next member of the friend group to walk across the stage since she was with the Bs. "Chloe Anne Beale," the announcer stated. Chloe smiled and walked across the stage once her name was called, her smile growing when she heard her parents and her friends cheering for her. The redhead shook hands with the principal and posed for a picture before exiting the stage and returning to her seat. Stacie was the next member of their friend group to go, since her last name was Conrad.

It was soon Beca's turn, and she cringed when her name was announced before she began to walk across the stage. "Rebeca Jade Mitchell," said the announcer. John, Cala, Henry and Hailee all stood up to cheer for her. The girl smiled when she heard her family cheering for her and shook hands with the principal before receiving her diploma. As she was walking towards the steps at the other end of the stage, Beca heard her friends cheering for her, causing her to let out a little laugh. The brunette then went down the stairs and returned to her seat, smiling at Chloe as she passed her row.

The rest of the ceremony went by rather quickly. To Beca's dismay, the announcer correctly pronounced both Aubrey's name and Jesse's name. Allison came right before the end of the stage walking. Soon, Chicago was the only person whose name hadn't been called yet. "Chicago Nathan Walp," the announcer said.

Everyone in their friend group cheered for Chicago as he walked across the stage to receive his diploma. Stacie looked at him and smiled as he walked across the stage and then bit her lip and blushed when he smiled at crowd of students. _Why can't I just get him out of my head?_ Stacie thought to herself with a sigh. _He's not going to fall for me anyways. Thinking about him is just a waste of time._ As much as she tried convince herself of this, Stacie knew that it was hopeless trying to get the boy out of her head, so she took her mind off of it by cheering for Chicago as he walked off the stage. She took a few deep breaths to help pull herself together before heading up to the stage to give her speech.

Chicago was leaving the stage as Stacie was walking up to give her speech. When the two passed each other, he gave her a thumbs-up and whispered, "Good luck." He then continued back to his seat, high-fiving Beca when he walked by her row.

When she got to the podium, Stacie took a deep breath to calm herself and then cleared her throat before speaking. "Well, today's the day, seniors. Today's the day when we take the next step of leaving the nests and learning to fly. But instead of filling your heads with cheesy quotes, life lessons and memories, I figured I'd talk about the future. The future is a scary thing, but it's also kinda amazing. Regardless of whether or not we have our lives planned, whether we're going to college for our talents on the field or in the classroom, or if we're even going to college at all, we are all going to have amazing adventures ahead of us." The tall brunette paused for a moment and took a deep breath before continuing. "The friends we've made here and the memories we've shared are all things of the past now. While we'll still always have each other in our hearts, we all have separate paths. Some of us are staying here to become a Husky while others are headed all the way to Georgia, LA, or New York City. But no matter where we go or what we do with our lives, we're all going to have tales to tell. And that's what's so cool about the future. The future holds untold stories that are waiting to be written by us and the choices we make. And I know what you're thinking: 'Stacie, how can you be so unafraid of what's to come?' The truth is, I am afraid. But here's the thing: it's okay to be afraid, as long as you don't allow your fears to keep you from achieving your biggest dreams." She paused again and smiled when she got a round of applause after that part of her speech. Before she continued, Stacie looked Chicago's way and smiled."Yeah, there will be rough patches along the way. There will be moments when we are utterly terrified of what the future holds. But in the end, when we're old and gray with wrinkly skin and dentures instead of teeth, we'll look back at our lives to see if we were afraid or if we were fearless. Being fearless doesn't mean that you weren't afraid, it means that you took the risk despite being scared," Stacie said, smiling at Chicago as she said this. "So, my peers, as we leave this muddy football field and head towards the world outside of Hartford, I challenge you to be fearless even if the future is scary. Congratulations, Class of 2018!"

Stacie stood up at the podium for a few moments, smiling and waving to the crowd as they stood up and roared in approval. After the standing ovation, the tall brunette shook hands with the principal before leaving the stage and going back to her seat. As she was walking back, she saw Chicago waving at her, and her smile grew when he gave her a thumbs-up and mouthed "Good job" to her. Stacie and mouthed "Thank you" to him before looking down to hide the blush on her face.

Once the ceremony ended, everyone went to their respective families and took some pictures. After that, their friend group got some pizza and breadsticks to-go from Cal's Zone and went back to Beca's place. Chloe was sitting on the brunette's lap, and they took turns feeding each other. "You look hot in that dress, baby," Beca said as she fed the redhead a breadstick.

"Thank you, baby," Chloe said, smiling and then kissing Beca on the lips after she had finished the breadstick. "So, Jade, huh? I think that's a beautiful middle name. I don't know why you hate it so much."

"I just don't like the way my full name sounds put together. It's not that I hate the name Jade. I love it, actually. I just don't like the way my full name sounds. 'Rebeca Jade' sounds weird to me," Beca said, scratching the back of her head as she blushed.

"I don't think your full name sounds weird, but that's just my opinion," Chloe said, leaning in to give Beca another kiss on the lips.

"You, on the other hand, have the most beautiful name I've ever heard," Beca said with a chuckle and a smile. "Chloe Anne Beale? Come on, it's like your parents knew just how to create a perfect human being."

Chloe smiled and blushed a little. "I can say the same thing about your parents. After all, they did bring the Rebeca Jade Mitchell into the world," she replied with a chuckle.

"Well, I think they could've named me better. Your parents definitely did it right," Beca joked, getting a playful slap on the arm from Chloe.

Chicago was getting a drink of water from the kitchen when Stacie walked in. He waved at her and then got his drink before going over to congratulate her. "Hey, Stacie. Your speech was amazing. Great job!" The boy said with a smile. "There were a couple times where I thought I was gonna cry," he added with a chuckle.

"Really?" Stacie asked, biting her lip and trying not to blush. "And what were those times, if I may ask?"

"The parts that almost got me where when when you talked about not being afraid of the future and when you said that we shouldn't let our fears keep us from reaching our dreams. Those were my favorite parts of your speech," Chicago answered. "It was a beautiful speech, Stacie. Have you ever thought of becoming a motivational speaker?"

"No, I haven't," Stacie said, chuckling a little bit. She stopped chuckling when she saw the look on Chicago's face. "Wait, are you being serious? You actually think I could be a motivational speaker?" She asked, unable to hide the surprise in her voice.

"I mean, if that's something you'd want to do, then yeah," Chicago said, still smiling at her. "I know you're going into pre-med at Washington, but you could always do that as a side job. You've always been the most positive person in our friend group, and I think that's why you got valedictorian."

"Huh," Stacie said, running her fingers through her hair as she thought about what Chicago had said. A small smile crossed the tall brunette's face, and she made eye contact with him again. "Yeah, I'll think about it. Thanks for pointing that out. I never would've thought of it on my own."

"Well, sometimes we don't realize our own talents, even if they're obvious to everyone else," Chicago said, sipping his water before taking a deep breath. "I'm gonna miss you when I leave for Georgia, Stace," he said a few moments later.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Chic," Stacie replied, looking down at the floor and biting her lip. "You'll come back and visit, right?" She asked, looking back up at him.

"Are you kidding? Of course I'll come back to visit," Chicago said with a smile. "I'll be back for Christmas and for spring break," he stated confidently. "It is going to be weird not seeing your face everyday, though."

"Tell me about it," Stacie said, chuckling sadly for a few moments. The tall brunette looked down at the floor and bit her lip again. "You're gonna do big things at Georgia. I know you will," she said softly.

"I hope I will. It's my dream school," Chicago said, scratching the back of his head and chuckling nervously. "You're going to do amazing things as well. You'll be great at whatever you choose to do. I have no doubt in my mind about that."

"Thanks, Chic," Stacie said, smiling and blushing a little. She then looked out into the living room, where the rest of their friend group was. "Why don't we go join everyone else?" She suggested, turning back to Chicago.

"Uh, sure," Chicago said cheekily. "Yeah, we can do that." He refilled his drink again and then followed her into the living room where everyone else was.

"There you guys are! What took you so long? Were you making out or something?" Beca joked, causing both Stacie and Chicago to smile awkwardly and blush a little.

"Calm down, Beca. We were just talking about college plans," Chicago said as he sat down next to Benji on one of the couches.

"Mmhm. That was totally convincing," Beca said with a chuckle. "I'm just pulling your leg, Chic," she added a few moments later, chuckling some more.

Chicago chuckled along with his friend before glancing over at Stacie. When he did this, he saw that Stacie wasn't as amused by Beca's comments as everyone else was. He sent a small smile her way before focusing back on the conversation that the group was having.

"Why don't we go around and each of us says a favorite memory from high school?" Aubrey suggested, smiling at her friends. "Here, I'll start. My favorite memory from high school is when Jesse finally grew a pair and confessed his feelings for me," she said with a chuckle.

Everyone started laughing at Aubrey's comment, and Jesse blushed so hard that his cheeks were the color of Chloe's hair. Beca smiled and then shared her favorite memories. "One of my favorite memories is Trio's very first concert at the Valentine's Day dance. We played seven songs, and I'll never forget how the crowd cheered for us."

Chicago decided to go next. "My favorite memory is either when the football team won back-to-back state championships or when I got the offer from Georgia. I can't pick between the two; they're both such good memories," he said with a smile.

"You're gonna have so much fun in Georgia, dude," Jesse said.

"You're one to talk, Jesse. You're headed to the University of Evansville," Chicago said, smiling at his friend.

"That is true," Jesse said, smiling back at Chicago. "Well, I guess I'll go now. My favorite memory from high school is when, according to Bree, I 'finally grew a pair' and asked her out," he said, chuckling and making quotation marks in the air with his fingers as he spoke.

"Yeah, we were all hoping for that," Beca stated, chuckling along with Jesse. "It was kinda getting annoying. It got to the point where I was about ready to ask her out for you." That last sentence made everyone laugh, and Beca laughed along with them before turning to Chloe. "Why don't you share your favorite high school memory, babe?" The brunette said.

"I guess that my favorite memory is when you guys welcomed me into your friend group." Chloe said, smiling as she reminisced in her head. "I was the new girl that had no friends, but you guys welcomed me with open arms, and I couldn't be more thankful for that. I love you guys."

This made everyone smile widely. "That was so sweet, Chlo," Beca said, leaning over and kissing her girlfriend on the cheek. "And for the record, we all love you too. Especially me," she added, her smile growing even wider. Chloe blushed and then smiled before the rest of their friend group shared all of their favorite high school memories.

Once their little graduation after-party was over, Chicago gave Stacie a ride home since she'd gotten a ride to the party from her parents. "When do you move into the dorms at UDub?" Chicago asked as he pulled out of Beca's driveway.

"I'm moving in at the end of August, so I'll get to spend my summer here," Stacie replied. "What about you? I'm sure you'll be moving in a lot earlier than I am, since Georgia is so far away."

"I'm leaving in the middle of July for preseason training," Chicago told her, keeping his eyes on the road and his hands on the wheel as he drove. "You have no idea how excited I am. Our first game is against Alabama, the reigning national champion. Beating them would be so, so cool," he said with a smile. "I probably won't start this year since I'm a freshman, but I could get some playing time if I pull my weight."

"I think you'll definitely get some playing time. You were one of the top high school football recruits in the country this year. They'd be crazy to have you sit on the bench for the whole year," Stacie said. "And just so we're clear, I expect to get an autographed jersey from you," she added with a giggle.

"You'll be the first," Chicago said genuinely. The car was silent for a moment as Chicago pulled onto the freeway. "Just so we're clear, I expect you to send me a signed copy of your book if you decide to become a motivational speaker," he stated, chuckling softly.

"Okay, I will," Stacie said with a smile. There was another period of silence between the two. "I bet you're not looking forward to college just because of football. You're probably also looking forward to college because of the girls," the tall brunette said quietly.

"Well, that's definitely a plus, but every college has beautiful girls," Chicago replied, running his fingers through his hair. "I'm really excited because some of my family lives in Georgia, so they'll get to come visit me and watch me play. Plus, Georgia is a beautiful state. I can't wait to see what it has to offer."

Stacie nodded her head, smiling softly. "You're gonna have a great time there. Just don't forget that Washington is the best state there is," she said with a chuckle.

"I'll never forget that, and I'll never forget all the memories I made here with my family and friends," Chicago said, smiling and glancing over at Stacie. "I really hope that things go well in Georgia. If they do, I could possibly end up getting drafted by the Seahawks and getting to play here in Seattle."

"That would be awesome. If that happens, you can count on me going to as many games as possible," Stacie replied, smiling even wider. "I'll also try to make it to some of your college games. I'll definitely be there if you guys ever play the Huskies," she added.

"We may end up playing them in a bowl game, you never know." Chicago said before taking the exit towards both of their houses. "What are you most looking forward to for college?"

Stacie thought about Chicago's question for a few moments and then shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Meeting new people, I guess. I'm the only one of our friend group who's going to UDub, so I'll get to make some new friends," she answered.

"Oh, you'll have no problem making friends. You might make so many friends that you completely forget about me," he chuckled. "You're a very likeable person, Stace, and people in college will take more notice of that than people in high school."

Stacie nodded and looked down for a moment. "It's gonna be kinda lonely, you know? I mean, I'll make new friends and everything, but I'm gonna miss my old friends," she said. "Especially you," she murmured to herself, her voice barely above a whisper.

Chicago could've sworn that he heard Stacie mumble something after that last sentence, so he furrowed his eyebrows for a second and then spoke up. "What were those last few words? I didn't hear you."

"N-nothing. I didn't say anything else," Stacie said, turning her head to look out the window so Chicago didn't see that she had started to blush.

"Oh, okay," Chicago said, deciding not to keep asking her about it. He was trying to think of something else to talk about and couldn't come up with any ideas, so he decided to say the first thing that came to his mind. "I think you look really beautiful today," he said. "I mean, you always look really pretty so it wasn't totally out-of-the-ordinary, but still. I think you look especially beautiful today, just like you did at prom."

These words made Stacie blush even harder. "T-thanks," she stuttered, closing her eyes and mentally facepalming herself. "I think you look really handsome today and that you looked really handsome at prom," the tall brunette said, biting her lip a little.

"Why thank you, Stacie," Chicago said, smiling shyly. "Hey, can I ask you something?" He continued when the girl nodded. "Why did you say no to me when I asked you to prom? I mean, I respect your decision and everything. I'm just curious, that's all. We went to homecoming together and I was surprised when you said no to going to prom with me. Was I a bad date at homecoming?"

All of a sudden, Stacie froze. Her heart was pounding, and her eyes were wide. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. "I…" She started, looking over at Chicago and then down at her feet. "I...I don't know."

"I just don't understand the whole situation, Stacie. I mean, did I do something wrong? I can't help but feel like I did something to make you upset," Chicago said as he turned onto Stacie's street. "You can tell me what's wrong. I won't be mad, I promise."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Chic. You didn't do anything that was even close to being wrong," Stacie said. She then hesitated for a split second, which didn't go unnoticed. "It's just that...Look, it's me, okay? It's not you, it's me."

"Well, can you tell me why? Because I'm not going to believe that I didn't do something until I know what's going on," Chicago stated in a calm but firm voice. "I've been wracking my brain because I feel like I did something to hurt you."

"It's because I like you, okay?" Stacie blurted out. As soon as those words came out, she put her hand over her mouth, surprised at what she had just said.

As his car rolled to a stop in front of Stacie's house, Chicago came to terms with what Stacie had just said. He was silent for a moment as he tried to figure out how to respond. A minute or so passed before he worked up the courage to speak. "I thought you said I wasn't your type," he stated simply. "You always said that I was too much of a good guy, and that you were into bad boys like Luke."

"That's what I thought too," Stacie said, sighing and running her fingers through her hair. "And believe me, if I could've prevented myself from falling for you, I would've. This has been torturing me for what feels like forever now."

Chicago took a deep breath before running his hands down his face, trying to process everything that was going on. His mind went back to what Stacie had just said. _And believe me, if I could've prevented myself from falling for you, I would've._ He then put the car in park and turned to look at her. "Are you in love with me?"

The tall brunette bit her lip and avoided eye contact with him for a few moments. "Would you hate me if I said I was?" Stacie asked nervously as she looked back up at Chicago.

"No, Stacie, of course not." Chicago stated genuinely. "I could never hate you," he said, reaching for her hand to try to offer her some comfort.

Stacie pulled her hand away when he reached for it, turning away from him as well. "You could never hate me, but you could never feel the same way about me either," she murmured, a few tears pricking at her eyes.

The girl's response made Chicago's heart ache as he struggled to find the right words to say. "Stacie, I…" he began, not wanting to say the wrong thing. "I care about you so, so much. And if I wasn't leaving for Georgia in a month, I'd give us a shot," he stated. "There will be so many guys at Washington that will see how amazing you are."

"Don't you get it, Chicago? I don't care about the guys at Washington. I care about you!" Stacie said, tears now streaming down her face. "But it doesn't matter anyways, right? You're leaving for Georgia in a month, and I'll probably never see you again. I might as well get a head start on getting over you," she before opening the door and getting out of the car, walking towards her front porch.

Chicago got out of his car and walked after Stacie. "Stacie, wait!" He called out, eventually catching up to her. "Stacie, you matter to me, okay? I care about you more than I care about most people, but I don't want you to be miserable because we can't be together. I don't want to be the reason that you're upset. Seeing you cry because of me makes me sick to my stomach. Please don't walk away and leave things like this. I'll be damned if I let you walk out of my life."

"If you'll be damned if I walk out of your life, then why aren't you stopping me?" Stacie asked. "Give me one good reason. Just give me one good reason, and I'll stay."

"I don't know if this will be good enough to keep you from erasing me from your life, but just hear me out." Chicago said, tucking her hair back and linking his hands with hers. "I was the first person you called when you and Luke broke up, and you were the first person I called after Chloe and I broke up. We've always been there for each other, Stacie. You're one of the closest people to my heart, and I'd lose my fucking mind if I lost you," he said, his eyes never leaving Stacie's. "I'd lose my mind, Stace," he repeated, wiping the tears from her cheek with his thumb.

The two of them stood there for awhile, neither one sure what to do next. Then, Stacie finally broke the silence. "So what am I supposed to do?" The tall brunette bit her lip and briefly glanced at Chicago's lips before looking back into his eyes. "Am I supposed to continue being miserable? What am I supposed to do?" She asked.

"You don't have to do anything, Stacie. You being miserable is the last thing I want," Chicago said before tapping his foot, trying to think of what to say. "I'm going to make you a promise. I'll make you a few promises, actually," he stated, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I promise that I will wait for you, that I won't date any girls while I'm at Georgia. I also promise that in four years when we've graduated and I'm hopefully on the Seahawks, I'll take you out on a date. And most of all, I promise you that I will give us the chance we deserve. Will that be enough to keep you from walking away?"

"How are you going to promise that, Chic? How do I know you'll keep your promise?" Stacie asked, keeping her eyes on him.

"I'll swear by this," Chicago said, cupping Stacie's cheeks and then closing the distance between them. He pressed a gentle, loving kiss to her lips, lingering there for a few seconds before pulling away. "Do you believe me now?" He whispered softly, looking deeply into her eyes.

Stacie didn't say anything in response. She just leaned in and connected their lips again, this kiss more passionate than the previous one. When the two pulled away, they both had smiles on their faces. "Yeah, I believe you," the tall brunette murmured, biting her lip as her smile grew even wider.

"Good, because I'd go crazy without you in my life," Chicago said, wiping away the last of Stacie's tears. "I'll wait for you Stacie. I promise I will," he said, a genuine tone in his voice. They then brought each other in for a hug, Chicago's arms wrapping around her lower back. He then felt a sudden urge inside him and started leaving soft, sensual kisses on Stacie's neck. "I don't have to leave just yet," he mumbled against her skin.

"No, you don't have to," Stacie mumbled back, closing her eyes and sighing with content. "You know, we should probably take this inside," she mentioned.

"Yes, we should take this inside," Chicago said, letting Stacie pull him towards the front door. They inside her house before heading downstairs to the bedroom in the basement. Chicago's lips were sucking on Stacie's neck and his hands were roaming her body. "Do you have condoms?" He asked once they got to her room, just wanting to be sure before they went any further.

Stacie nodded her head. "Yeah, I do," she said, closing her eyes and moaning as Chicago ran his tongue over a hickey he had just left on her skin.

Chicago smirked as he took off his tie, letting Stacie unbutton his dress shirt as they made their way over to her bed. "I want to make you scream my name," he whispered, moving his lips back to hers. He pulled her onto his lap, slipping his tongue inside her mouth at the same time. "I want to give you the best sex you've ever had in your life," he said, letting Stacie's teeth tug at his bottom lip as his shirt came off, revealing his ripped upper body.

"Shit," Stacie muttered under her breath as she looked at Chicago's abs. "Jeez, Chic. You must work out a hell of a lot."

"Sometimes three times a day," Chicago muttered back, kissing her lips once again. "I'm guessing you like seeing me shirtless?" He whispered, grabbing Stacie's ass and squeezing it multiple times as she began to grind on his lap.

"Mmhm. I love seeing you shirtless," Stacie mumbled against Chicago's lips. "Would you like to see me shirtless?" She asked, running her fingers through his hair as they kissed.

"Yeah, I would," Chicago replied, unzipping her dress and pulling it down so that her bra and cleavage was showing. "Holy fuck," he breathed out, unable to tear his eyes away from her. "Stacie, you're so damn hot," he said before attaching his lips to her cleavage, sucking on the top of her breasts roughly.

"Shit, Chic," Stacie groaned, pushing Chicago's head down closer to her chest. "Fuck, that feels good," she moaned, biting her lip and then tugging at the ends of his hair.

One of Chicago's hands traveled down between their bodies and snuck under her skirt. He began to finger her clit through her underwear, rubbing it in tight circles. "Mmm, I can feel how wet you are already."

"It's not my fault that you know how to get me worked up," Stacie murmured back, letting out a loud moan as Chicago began to toy around with her bundle of nerves.

Chicago smirked when Stacie moaned again. He pushed her underwear to the side and slid one finger inside her. "Ride my finger, Stacie. Ride it good," he whispered, nibbling on her earlobe.

Stacie did as Chicago instructed, her eyes rolling back into her head as she began to ride his finger. "Fuck, Chic!"

Chicago then pushed Stacie down on the bed so her head was towards the end of the bed. "I gonna make love to you so hard that you'll be moaning my name in your sleep for months," he whispered, using his thumb to rub Stacie's clit while he fingered her at the perfect pace. The tall brunette moaned as he did this, causing him to get hard in his pants.

Stacie felt her walls begin to clench up, and she knew that she would hit her climax any moment now. "I'm getting close, Chic," she whispered, her toes curling as he continued to finger her.

Chicago leaned in and kissed her softly before unclasping her bra with his free hand and letting it drop to the floor. "Hold it for a littl longer if you can," he whispered, slipping a second finger inside of her before he began to suck on her nipples. He started thrusting fast and hard, wanting to make her cum hard on his fingers. "Mmm, now you can cum for me, Stacie."

Stacie came as soon as Chicago said those words. "Fucking hell, Chicago!" She yelled out at the top of her lungs, not caring whether or not anyone heard her.

Chicago kissed her to drown out the moans coming from her lips. He then pulled his fingers out and sucked on them for a moment, tasting her. "Would you like to return the favor and blow me?" He asked, lust in his eyes as he gazed down at Stacie.

"Do you want me to?" Stacie said, looking back up at Chicago with a smirk on her face. She then looked down at the bulge in his pants, and her smirk grew. "Actually, I think I already know the answer to that question."

The brunette boy smiled at her before sitting up and laying down on one of the pillows before taking his pants off, now only in his boxer shorts. "I know you're going to be incredible at this." He said, letting her take of his boxers and have a look at his cock for the first time.

"Wow. You're bigger than I thought you would be," Stacie murmured. She stroked his cock a few times before taking the tip in her mouth, smirking when she heard Chicago moan and felt him push her head down.

"Mmm, Stacie," Chicago whimpered, running a hand through her hair as he watched her as she gave him head. His other hand rested behind his head, and he moaned softly with each motion Stacie made on his dick. "How big did you think I was going to be?" He asked, chuckling softly before letting out another moan.

"I thought you would be pretty big. I just didn't expect you to be this big," Stacie mumbled back, starting to bob her head up and down until she almost had his whole length in her mouth.

"Fucking hell, Stace," Chicago groaned, biting his lip and closing his eyes as she continued. "Fuck. You sure know what you're doing," he said, laying his head back on the pillow. "Where are your condoms?" He asked, letting out another moan.

"There's some in the second drawer of the bedside table over there," Stacie told him before she started to deepthroat him, knowing that would definitely send him over the edge.

Stacie's deepthroating did exactly what it was supposed to, and Chicago felt himself hit his climax. "Fuck, Stacie," he moaned when she swallowed his cum. "I've never had a girl swallow on me before," he mentioned. "And it's definitely the hottest thing I've ever seen."

"Really?" Stacie asked, raising an eyebrow. "Huh. Well there's a first for everything. How was that?"

"So damn good, Stacie," Chicago said, pulling her up into a kiss and slipping his tongue inside her mouth. He then pulled away and got up to go get a condom. He opened the drawer and grabbed a condom, rolling it on before throwing the wrapper in the small garbage can beside the bed. "Come sit on the edge of the bed," he instructed, smiling at the naked girl in front of him.

Stacie smiled back at Chicago and then did as he had instructed, crawling over to the edge of the bed and then sitting down. She bit her lip and blushed a little, trying to contain her excitement and anticipation.

The boy walked over to her and got down on his knees, kissing up and down her inner thighs multiple times. Chicago then surprised the girl by starting to go down on her, sucking softly on her clit while his tongue flicked against her wet folds. "Mmm, you taste so good, Stace," he mumbled, continuing his ministrations while spreading Stacie's legs apart to give himself full access to her core.

"Shit!" Stacie cursed under her breath, pushing Chicago's head closer to her core. She closed her eyes and moaned loudly. "Fucking hell, Chic! I need more!"

Chicago slipped his tongue inside of her, smirking as the girl grabbed and tugged at his hair. "Your pussy is so tasty, Stacie," he mumbled, thrusting his tongue in and out to get her started. He then pulled his tongue out of her and swirled it around her folds before sucking on her clit. After doing this for awhile, Chicago stood and lined their hips up, wrapping Stacie's legs around his waist before pushing into her slowly. "Oh fuck, you're so tight!"

Stacie just moaned when Chicago finally entered her, as she was unable to form words. She bit her lip and closed her eyes as she adjusted to his size, letting out another moan as he started to build up a pace with his thrusting.

As he thrusted and moaned at how tight Stacie was, Chicago brought his hand down to her clit and rubbed tight circles with his thumb. "You like that?" He asked, smirking when Stacie's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she kept moaning.

Stacie nodded her head and let out another moan. "Fuck me hard, Chic. Pound me, baby," she whispered.

Stacie's response turned Chicago on even more, and he did as she requested, thrusting hard to make sure he hit her g-spot with each thrust. He then pushed her further onto the bed and climbed on top of her before re-entering her, starting to fuck her in the missionary position. "Oh my god, Stacie. You feel so good on me," he moaned, leaning down to kiss her on the lips as he continued to thrust.

"Oh fuck!" Stacie cried out, gasping and then moaning each time Chicago hit her g-spot. "Fuck, Chic! Faster!"

Chicago's hands ran up and down Stacie's thighs as they continued to mold together. He thrusted faster for Stacie, loving the sensations he was feeling—being inside of her, feeling her legs wrapped around his waist and her nails digging into his back; every one of those sensations was driving him crazy.

"How close are you, Chic?" Stacie asked, struggling to catch her breath. Her chest was heaving, and there were a few beads of sweat on her forehead.

"I think you'll find I have a lot of stamina," Chicago said, leaning down to kiss her neck as he thrusted. "I can last a long time, baby," he whispered, sucking a hickey into her skin.

"Good, because so can I," Stacie said, cupping Chicago's face with her hands and smashing their lips together. "I want to ride you," she whispered when their lips parted.

This made Chicago smile, and he kissed her again before thrusting a couple more times. He then pulled out and lay down on the bed, allowing Stacie time to get on top of him. "Come over here, baby," he said, putting his hands on her hips.

Stacie smiled when Chicago's hands went to her hips and she kissed his lips softly before slowly lowering herself down onto him. They both let out a moan, Stacie taking a few moments to adjust to his length before starting to bounce up and down.

A smirk spread across Chic's face as Stacie started to ride him. "Fucking hell, Stacie," he groaned, admiring the view in front of him.

Stacie smirked at Chicago's reaction and started to bounce faster. She leaned down and kissed him, sliding her tongue across his bottom lip and then slipping it inside his mouth.

Chicago hummed with content as Stacie kissed him and reached his hands around to her bum, softly squeezing it as she rode him. "Shit. Don't stop, Stacie," he moaned, tugging at her bottom lip with his teeth.

"Don't worry, Chic. I won't," Stacie murmured back, smiling and bouncing even faster now. After a few more minutes, she got off of him and turned away from him before getting on her hands and knees. "Take me from behind, baby. Finish me."

"Shit," Chicago said, smiling at the sight in front of him. He crawled forward and then kissed down her back before he entered her. He then started thrusting at a steady pace, moaning loudly as well.

"Fuck," Stacie whimpered, closing her eyes and tilting her head back as Chicago took her from behind. "Fuck, baby. Faster!"

Chicago rested his hands on her ass and squeezed it slightly, moaning as he continued to thrust. He then sped up some more like Stacie had asked him to, smacking her ass a couple times as he did so. "Holy fucking shit," he groaned. "Lay down on your stomach," he said, gently pushing her down before entering her once more and thrusting at a fast pace.

"Oh god, Chic," Stacie moaned, arching her back a little as Chicago thrusted into her. She felt her walls start to clench up and knew that she was nearing her second orgasm. "I'm getting close, Chic."

Chic grabbed her hair and pulled it a little as he thrusted, moaning as well. He too felt himself getting closer and closer to his second orgasm. "Fuck. Me too, Stacie."

"Will you cum with me?" Stacie asked, turning her head to the side so she could look back at Chicago.

"Yes," he answered simply, his thrusts get a little sloppier as he neared his climax. Despite this, he still hit her g-spot every single time he thrusted. "Fuck, I'm so close, Stace," he groaned, thrusting into her as fast and hard as he could which caused the bed to shake.

"Me too, Chic. I'm so close," Stacie moaned, her toes curling and her back arching again. "I think I'm gonna-ah! Chicago!" The tall brunette screamed as she finally hit her climax.

Chicago watched as her back arched and her toes curled, continuing to thrust as she orgasmed. He too felt his climax was really close, so he continued to go as hard as he could. Sweat was drenching his forehead as he came inside the condom. "Ah, fuck! Stacie! Ah, fuck!" He moaned, falling on top of her as he finished.

The two lay there in silence for a few moments as they caught their breath. Stacie was the first one to speak afterwards. "Wow," she said, smiling softly. "Wow," she repeated.

Chicago lay down against the mattress and looked up at the ceiling, wiping some of the sweat from his face. A smile tugged at his lips when he saw Stacie come and lay down next to him. "That was-"

"Incredible," Stacie said, finishing his sentence for him. She then closed her eyes and sighed with content, taking one of Chicago's hands in hers and linking their fingers. "Thank you for that, Chic," she murmured.

Chicago turned his head to look at Stacie and he smiled at her, squeezing her hand gently. "No, thank you for that, Stacie." The boy then chuckled a little bit before speaking again. "You know, out of all the things I was expecting to happen today, this was not one of them. But boy am I glad it did," he said, finally catching his breath as he noticed the thing layer of sweat covering his body.

Stacie smiled, letting out another sigh of content before yawning. "I'm gonna fall asleep any minute now," she mumbled, chuckling softly. "Could you stay with me tonight, Chic?" She asked.

"Yeah, of course," Chicago said, tucking some of her hair behind her ear and then kissing her forehead. "Stacie?" He asked softly.

Stacie opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Chicago. "Yeah? What is it?"

"This wasn't just casual for me," Chicago said, looking firmly into her eyes. "I do care for you, more than you know. And I believe that one day, we'll have our chance," he stated, pressing another kiss to her forehead once he finished speaking.

Stacie's smile grew even wider, and she nodded her head in agreement. "This wasn't just casual for me either, and I know that we'll get to be together one day. I don't care how long I have to wait. Being with you is worth it."

Chicago smiled, happy that he was going to be leaving things with Stacie on a good note. "Goodnight, Stace," he said, kissing her cheek before reaching over to turn off the lamp on her bedside table.

 **We know this chapter was more of Chicago and Stacie, but we kind of wanted a chapter for them to set things up for the sequel. We hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Very exciting things are about to come!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	30. Chapter 30: The First Goodbye

Chapter 30: The First Goodbye

Beca ran her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes, sighing with frustration. She was currently working on a new song with the laptop that her parents had bought for. The song was almost perfect, the key word being almost. The brunette couldn't figure out what was missing from it, which was why she was so frustrated. _Come on, Beca. Think. What does this song need to be complete?_ She thought to herself. The girl then grabbed her notepad to look over the lyrics over the song, leaning back in her chair as she tried to let the words come naturally. This didn't work, though, so Beca decided to take a break. Just as she was turning off her laptop, her phone started buzzing. She took it out from her pocket and saw that Chicago was calling. The brunette smiled and pressed answer before holding her phone up to her ear. "Hey, Chic. Your timing couldn't be more perfect. I needed a break from this song I'm working on."

"I'm glad I could be of service to you, then," Chicago replied with a chuckle. "What's this new song about, if I may ask? I'm guessing that it's a love song, since that's what almost all of your songs are, but is there a specific subject or something?" He asked.

"I mean, it kinda is a love song, but it's mostly a farewell song for the band when we perform together for the last time in August," Beca answered. "And for the record, Trio has a good mix of songs that have nothing to with love," she added, making Chicago chuckle some more. "So, what's up?"

"Not much. I was just calling to ask if you're still down for hanging out with me today. It's my last day in Seattle, and can't think of a better way to spend today than with my best friend," Chicago said with a smile.

"Hell yeah I'm in. What time are you coming to pick me up?" Beca asked. The brunette then turned around to look at the clock on her bedside table, seeing that it was almost eleven o'clock in the morning. "I can't believe you're leaving for Georgia tomorrow."

"Yeah, I can't believe it either. It still hasn't totally set in yet," Chicago said. There was a brief silence between the two before the boy spoke up again. "Why don't I pick you up at noon? How does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me, buddy. I'll see you then," Beca said before hanging up the phone. She then went downstairs to get a snack and check on the twins, who were watching TV in the living room. "Hey, you little rascals. How's your show?" The brunette asked as she walked into the living room.

"It's really good. Will you come and watch it with us, please?" Hailee asked sweetly.

"Sure, Haiz. I'll come join you guys once I get myself a snack," Beca said before walking into the kitchen and opening the pantry to search for a snack. Her phone started ringing for the second time that morning, but this time it was Chloe who was calling her. The brunette immediately answered the call. "Hey there. How's my favorite person in the world?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Chloe replied, smiling and giggling. "But to answer your question, I'm doing pretty good. How about you?"

"I'm doing pretty good too. I've been working on a new song for the last couple hours and am gonna take the rest of the day off so I can hang out with Chic," Beca replied smiling as she grabbed a granola bar from one of the boxes in the pantry. "He leaves for Georgia tomorrow which is why I'm gonna spend the day with him."

"Yeah, that's right. It's gonna be really weird without him. We're all gonna miss him a lot, that's for sure," Chloe said, biting her lip a little. Then, an idea suddenly came to mind. "Why don't we throw him a little going-away party tonight? It can be a surprise party too, which will make it even better," she suggested.

"That's a great idea, babe. We can have the party at my place. I'm sure my parents would more than happy to host it," Beca said, smiling as she talked to Chloe through the phone. "I can call Cal's Zone later today and order some pizza for the party if you'd like," she added.

"That would be great, actually. Thanks, babe," Chloe said, a smile on her face as well. "I'll let you go now. Have fun with Chicago today, okay?"

"I will. Have a good rest of your day, Chlo. I'll see you later. Love you," Beca said, hanging up after she finished speaking. The brunette then went back into the living room, sitting in between Henry and Hailee on the couch. "Alright, I'm back. What show are you guys watching?" She asked.

" _Dragon Tales_!" Henry said, scooting over towards Beca and then getting up to sit on her lap.

"Ah, I see. Man, this show has been around for a long time. I remember watching this when I was your age," Beca said, chuckling a little and then taking a bite out of her granola bar.

"I like the green and purple dragon. That one's my favorite," Hailee said, scooting over towards Beca as well. "Which dragon is your favorite, Beca?"

"Uh, I don't know," Beca said, scratching the back of her head. "Probably the pink dragon, I guess. What's that one's name again?"

"Cassie!" Hailee exclaimed, giggling for a few moments afterwards. "And my favorite dragon is named Zak and Wheezie!"

Beca smiled and shook her head at her little sister's enthusiasm. "You sure know your stuff about this show, huh?" She observed, chuckling some more.

"Mom put it on for us before she and Dad went on a run," Henry said, laying his head on Beca's shoulder.

"How long ago did they leave?" Beca asked, taking another bite out of her granola bar.

"About ten minutes ago, I think," Henry answered, his eyes glued to the TV. They said they'd be back in half an hour," he added.

"Alright, cool. We should be able to finish this episode and watch most of another one, then," Beca said, finishing her granola bar and then putting the crumpled-up wrapper in her pocket.

Beca and the twins finished the episode of _Dragon Tales_ they were on and then watched another episode before Jacob and Cala got home from their run. Not too long after that, Chicago came to pick Beca up for the day. "Hey, man. How are you feeling?" Beca asked as she climbed into the passenger seat.

"I'm feeling alright. How about you?" Chicago asked, pulling out of Beca's driveway once the brunette had buckled her seatbelt.

"A bit sad, actually. It's going to be hard not having my best friend by my side," Beca said, looking down for a moment. "But I'm looking forward to hanging out with you today. It's gonna be nice. You and I haven't had a proper hangout in awhile."

"Yeah, we haven't," Chicago said, smiling softly. "So, what do you want to do?" He asked.

"Why don't we hit the park for some one-on-one basketball? And after that, we can go get coffee and check out the hot chicks like we used to. I mean, I won't be checking anyone out because I'm taken, but I can help you get a number," Beca said with a chuckle as Chicago drove down the road.

Chicago chuckled along with the brunette. "Alright, that sounds good to me, except the getting someone's number part. I'm gonna have to take a pass on that."

"What? Why?" Beca asked, surprised by Chicago's answer. He had never passed up on getting a girl's number before. "Why don't you want to get a hot chick's number?"

"I don't know. I'm just not really interested in that right now. After all, I am leaving for Georgia tomorrow," he said. This was partially true, but he also wanted to keep the promise he had made to Stacie. After what had happened after the graduation after-party, he knew that he'd be able to wait four years for Stacie.

"That's true, I guess. I'm just a little surprised, that's all," Beca stated, chuckling a little as she leaned back against the seat. "Out of curiosity, does this have anything to do with Stacie?" The brunette asked a few moments later.

"Why would it have anything to do with Stacie?" Chicago asked. He tried to play it off like he was confused by Beca's question, but he ended up sounding more defensive than puzzled. The reason he was trying to play it off was that he and Stacie had agreed to not tell anyone about that night, because they didn't want their friends to suspect that something was something going on between them.

Beca raised her eyebrow suspiciously at Chicago's reaction, but she decided not to pursue the subject any further. Instead, she just shrugged her shoulders and said, "I don't know. Just wondering."

A few minutes later, they arrived at the park. Chicago parked his car in the parking lot and then got out, making sure to grab his basketball from the backseat before he and Beca walked over to the concrete basketball court that they played on every weekend.

"You are so going down," Beca started confidently as they walked over to the court. "At least you'll have an excuse this time. You can say that you were taking it easy on me because you didn't want to get hurt before football season," she added with a chuckle.

"We'll see about that, Mitchell," Chicago replied with a smirk. He then took off his hoodie and set it on one of the benches by the court before going out onto the court, dribbling the basketball as he did so.

Beca put her hoodie on the bench next to Chicago's before she joined him on the court. "Let's play rock-paper-scissors to determine who gets the ball first."

Chicago won the rock-paper-scissors match, so he got the ball first. He dribbled down the court and easily made a three-pointer. "Damn, I still got it," he said with a chuckle.

"It also helps that you're like almost a foot taller than me. There's no way I'll ever be able to block one of your shots," Beca complained, even though she was chuckling along with him.

"That is true, but I still have to make the shot even if you can't block it," Chicago pointed out before getting in his defensive stance.

Beca then started dribbling the ball up the court, making sure to keep a good distance between her and Chicago. Then, the brunette started sprinting towards the basket, which caught Chicago off guard and allowed her to make an easy layup.

"I still can't believe that you're gonna continue your basketball career in college," Chicago said. "You could probably play at the professional level if you wanted to," he said genuinely.

"I probably could, but I don't want to. Basketball isn't my passion. Music is my passion," Beca replied.

"I know," Chicago said, smiling at his best friend. "And I know you're going to go far with it," he added before getting the ball and dribbling down the court. The boy did a few dribble moves and managed to get past Beca but ended up missing the layup.

Beca grabbed the rebound and immediately went the other way. "See you later, Mr. 'Damn, I Still Got It,'" she called back over her shoulder as she made another easy layup.

Chicago couldn't help but laugh before he took the ball back down the other end of the court and scored an easy layup. "You were saying?" He asked with a chuckle before jogging down to the other end of the court and getting in his defensive stance once again.

Beca chuckled and grabbed the ball, dribbling down the court and making an easy three point shot from just outside the line. "That's what I was saying." She said smirking.

"Okay, Mitchell. I see you still got it too," Chicago said, chuckling some more. He then took the ball and dribbled down the court. Instead for going up for a layup, the boy jumped and dunked the ball into the hoop with one hand. "There. Try to top that," he said, crossing his arms and smirking.

Beca smiled and nodded her head. "Not bad, Chic, but I'm pretty sure I can top that," she said as she got the ball and started dribbling down the court. She ran by Chicago and then jumped in the air, swinging the ball between her legs from one hand to the other before putting up a shot, which bounced off the backboard and went in.

Chicago nodded his head and then shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, that was a pretty difficult shot, so I'll give you credit for that. But I don't think that shot was better than my dunk. It'd be another story if you dunked it after the between-the-legs move, however."

Beca scoffed a laugh and then shook her head. "Whatever, dude. What's the score?" She asked.

"I believe it's tied and we both have ten points. Want to go to thirty?" Chicago asked, slowly dribbling the ball down the court as he spoke.

"Sure. I don't really care what we go to, because I'm gonna end up winning regardless," Beca replied confidently before getting in her defensive stance as Chicago dribbled towards her.

This made the boy chuckle. "We'll see about that." Chicago said smiling before he went at Beca with the ball, pulling a juke to get around her and go for the layup.

The game was pretty close throughout, with Beca winning by one point. After the game, they went over to the neighborhood coffee shop to cool off. Both of them ordered iced coffees, and Chicago paid for the drinks since he had lost the one-on-one game. Once they got their drinks, the two went over to a table and sat down. "So, what are we gonna do while we're here? We've got to find something to do, since neither of us are going to be checking out girls," Beca said with a chuckle before taking a sip of her iced coffee.

Chicago huffed a little, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe we could talk about what we're looking forward to in the upcoming future. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me," Beca said, taking another sip of her drink before speaking again. "So, what are you looking forward to in the future?" She asked.

"Well, obviously I'm looking forward to be playing at Georgia," Chicago said, smiling. "We'll get to travel all over the country, so I'll get to see places that I've never seen before. Also, one of our preseason games is at UCLA. I'll get tickets for you and your cousin so you two can come watch."

"Awesome. Thanks, Chic," Beca said, smiling back at her best friend. The two sat in silence for a moment until Beca noticed the expectant look on Chicago's face. "Oh, yeah. It's my turn," she said with a chuckle. "Well, I'm obviously looking forward to LA. I am kinda scared about going there, but I think it'll be alright. I won't be alone since I'll be living with Zach, and Luke said that he's gonna see if he can get me a job at a radio station he used to work at. It's not a record label, but it's a start."

"Definitely. It would be awesome if you could get a job there," Chicago said. "Plus, maybe you'll be able to convince them to let you play some of your music," he added with a smile.

Beca nodded her head. "Yeah, that's what I'm hoping for. Maybe I'll end up DJing at a few clubs too. Honestly, I'll be happy with whatever job I have as long as it involves music," she said.

"I have no doubt in my mind that you're going to kill it in LA, Beca. You're the most talented person I know, and I have no doubt in my mind that you're going to go far. I just hope you don't forget me when you become a big star," Chicago stated.

"Are you kidding? Of course I won't forget you. Do you really think I'd forget my best friend?" Beca asked, smiling back at Chicago.

"I know, I know. I was just playing with you," Chicago said with a chuckle before sipping his drink.

Around six thirty, Chicago pulled his car into Beca's driveway. "Thanks for hanging out with me today. I had a great time," he said, smiling.

"I'm always happy to hang out with you, Chic," Beca replied. "Now, come inside. My family will want to say goodbye to you."

"Alright," Chicago said, parking his car. He got out and followed Beca to the front porch. As he was walking up the steps, he noticed that the lights in Beca's house were off. "Why are the lights off? Is anyone even home?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Maybe they're just out on the back deck," Beca said, smirking to herself as she opened the door and then turned the lights on. Beca's parents, the twins, Chloe, and Stacie jumped out from their hiding spots once the lights were on. "Surprise!" They all shouted.

Chicago jumped a little at first but laughed and smiled widely a few moments later. "Jeez, you guys! You scared me so bad," he said, shaking his head. Everyone else went into the kitchen to get some pizza, leaving the two of them in the living room.

"It's was Chloe's idea to throw you a going-away party, inner circle only. Plus Henry and Hailee, of course," Beca said with a smile before looking around the living room. The decorations in the room were red and black since those were Georgia's colors. "Congratulations, buddy."

"Thanks, Beca. I can't believe that you guys did all this for me," Chicago said, smiling widely as he looked around the room in awe. "Really, Beca. This is awesome. Thank you much."

Beca shook her head. "Don't thank me. Thank Chloe. She was the one who came up with the idea and did all the planning. All I did was pay for the pizzas," the brunette said with a chuckle before giving Chicago a hug.

"Well, thank you anyways. And what did you say about pizza? I'm starving," Chicago said, chuckling along with Beca as he hugged her back.

"It's in the kitchen," Chloe said as she walked up to them. "Congrats, Chicago. We're all going to miss you so much when you go off to Georgia."

"Thanks, Chloe. I'm gonna miss you all too," Chicago replied. "This party is awesome, by the way. Thanks for planning it for me. I really appreciate it."

"Of course. What you're doing is huge, and you deserve a fun going-away party," Chloe said, smiling and hugging the boy. "Everyone here is so proud of you, including me, and we all know that you're going to be one of the best Georgia Bulldogs there ever was."

"I don't know about that, but thank you. I'm going to try my hardest and do the best I can," Chicago said, smiling and chuckling a little.

"Well, you can count on me and my family to cheer you on every step of the way," Chloe said before stepping aside so Chicago could go get some pizza. She then wrapped her arms around Beca's shoulders and leaned in for a kiss. "Hey stranger," she said right before their lips met.

"Hey," Beca murmured back, smiling into the kiss. The brunette's lips lingered on the redhead's for a few extra moments before she pulled away. "You really outdid yourself with this party, Chlo. I'm impressed."

"It wasn't very hard to find the decorations. Black and red are pretty common colors," Chloe said, smiling when Beca moved her hands to rest on her waist. "How was your day with Chic, babe?"

"It was good. We went to the park and played a game of one-on-one, which I won. After that, we got coffee and talked about our futures. Then we got Taco Bell for lunch and kinda just drove around the city for the rest of the day," Beca replied, smiling back at her girlfriend. "How was your day today?" She asked.

"It was busy, since I spent most of it getting everything ready for the party. It was fun, though. Henry, Haiz and your parents helped with all the decorations," Chloe said as they stood in the kitchen doorway.

"It sounds like we both had eventful days, then," Beca said. She then took Chloe's hand and led her into the living room, where they sat down together on one of the couches. "I just wanted to move out of the doorway in case somebody needed to get through," the brunette explained, smiling.

"So, what do number do you think Chicago is gonna wear for Georgia? Is he going to stick with the one he has now?" Chloe thought aloud.

"I don't know. It depends on what numbers are available. I'm sure he'll stick with his current number if it's available, though," Beca answered.

Chloe smiled and then lifted her legs to rest on Beca's lap. "I'm so happy for him. He's worked really hard for this."

"Yeah, he has. If anyone deserves this, it's him," Beca said, smiling softly as she took one of Chloe's hands in hers and linked their fingers.

"And if anyone deserves to make in LA, it's you." Chloe said, smiling even wider.

"Thanks, babe. I can say the same thing about you and New York. I know you're going to be great there, and I know you're gonna make me, along with everyone else, very proud," Beca said genuinely before leaning in and pressing a sweet kiss to Chloe's cheek.

Chloe blushed a little before turning her head and kissing Beca's lips. "Thank you, babe. It means a lot to me that you believe in me," she said, leaning their foreheads together.

"How could I not believe in you? You're Chloe Beale. I'd be crazy if I didn't believe in you," Beca said, smiling softly as they leaned their foreheads together.

"Well, thank you, baby. It really does mean a lot to me," Chloe said, smiling and nuzzling Beca's nose with her own. "I love you," she whispered. "I love you so much, Beca Mitchell."

"I love you too, Chloe Beale. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," Beca murmured back before kissing the tip of the redhead's nose.

While Chicago was in the kitchen getting some pizza, Stacie walked up to him. "Hey, Chic," the tall brunette said with a smile before giving him a hug. "Are you excited to leave for Georgia tomorrow?" She asked as they pulled away from the embrace.

"Yeah, I'm pretty excited. I'm also kinda sad, though," Chicago replied. "I really am going to miss you guys. I don't know what I'll do without you."

"You'll find your way back to us here, and you're going to do amazing things both at Georgia and in the NFL. That I know for sure," Stacie said before getting herself a slice of pizza.

Chicago smiled softly at Stacie's words. "I appreciate the confidence in me, but I'm not expecting anything to happen. I hope that I'll do well, but nothing's guaranteed," he said, scratching the back of his head.

"Well, even if you aren't too sure about it, I am," Stacie said, taking a bite of pizza before continuing. "You're so good at football, Chic. I think you're definitely good enough to make it to the NFL, and I'm pretty sure everyone here agrees with me."

"Thanks, Stace. That means a lot to me," Chicago said, his smile growing. "I think you're going to be amazing at Washington, and I'm certain that everyone here would say the same."

"Thank you, Chic," Stacie said, looking down at the floor as she started to blush.

Everyone, including the twins, gathered in the living room later that night to share their favorite memories with Chicago. Henry was sitting on Chloe's lap and Hailee was sitting on Beca's as they each took turns sharing their memories. "I have way too many memories with Chic to pick a favorite, but one of the funniest memories I have of him is when we were at a haunted house and he punched a clown in the face because it jumped out at him," Beca said with a chuckle.

"You know how much I hate clowns. That guy had it coming," Chicago said, making everyone else laugh. "It was still a fun night, considering Beca almost started bawling her eyes out when we went through the morgue and three mummies charged her."

"Shut up!" Beca said, her face turning red. "I didn't almost cry. I may have screamed a little, but I didn't almost cry."

"Sure, buddy. Whatever you say," Chicago said, smirking at his best friend.

"I didn't almost cry," Beca insisted before covering Henry and Hailee's ears with her hands. "Badasses don't cry," she said.

"I guess you're not a badass, then," Chicago said with a chuckle, everyone laughing along with him.

Beca made sure the twins weren't looking before she flipped Chicago off, making him laugh even more. "I'm really going to miss you, Chic. You're my best friend, and not having you around is gonna be hard. I know that you're going to great things at Georgia, but I'm really going to miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you too, Beca. Even though we're gonna be living on opposite sides of the country, you'll still be my best friend. You always have been my best friend, and you always will be," Chicago replied in a genuine voice.

Beca felt tears begin to well up in her eyes, but she blinked said tears away before anyone could see. "I love you, man," she said before setting Hailee down on the couch so she could stand up to give Chicago a hug. While they embraced, the brunette hid her face in her best friend's chest as she allowed a few tears to fall.

Chicago gently patted Beca on the back while they embraced as a way of comforting her. "It's okay, buddy. Really, it is. It's not like we're never gonna see each other again or something like that."

"I know. I'm still going to miss you a lot, though," Beca replied, holding onto Chicago for a bit longer before letting go and wiping the rest of her tears away.

After Beca sat back down on the couch, Henry got up and ran towards Chicago, hugging one of his legs tightly. "Me and Hailee are gonna miss you, Chicago," the little boy said in a small voice.

"You're like our big brother!" Hailee said, running over to Chicago and hugging his other leg.

"I'm going to miss you guys too," Chicago said, smiling down at them. "I love you both. You're the younger siblings I always wished I had." The twins held onto Chicago's legs for a little while longer before they let go and went back to the couch.

Next, Jacob and Cala stood up and walked over to Chicago. "Thank you for being an amazing friend to Beca. We're proud of you, and we're looking forward to watching you play for the Bulldogs," Jacob said, smiling and shaking his hand.

"We're going to be your number two fans. Your parents will be your number one fans, of course," Cala said with a smile, giving Chicago a hug after she finished speaking.

Later that night, Beca and Chicago were leaning against the boy's car. "Thank you for being my best friend. I don't know what I've would've done without you in high school," she said. "You were the first person I came out to, and you accepted me with open arms."

"Thank you for being my best friend. I've always been able to come to you when I need someone to talk to, and I'm very grateful for that," Chicago replied.

"You're my brother, Chic," Beca said, turning to face him. "You're not just my best friend. You're family to me."

Chicago nodded his head in agreement. "You're my little sister, both figuratively and literally," he said with a chuckle. "But seriously, Beca. You're a sister to me, and being your best friend for the last four years has truly been an honor."

Beca checked the time on her phone and furrowed her eyebrows a little bit when she saw how late it was. "You should probably get going since you have an early flight in the morning," she said, turning to give him a hug.

"Yeah, I probably should," Chicago said as he embraced his best friend once more. "I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"I want you to call me when you get to your dorm tomorrow, and I want you to call me at least once a week so you can tell me how you're doing," Beca said as they hugged. Tears pricked at the brunette's eyes when Chicago pulled away from the hug. "I love you, man," she said, blinking her tears away before they had the chance to fall.

"I love you too, buddy. Also, you better call me at least once a week so you can tell me about LA. I want to be 'kept in the loop' as they say," Chicago said with a soft chuckle in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Trust me, I'll call you if you don't call me," Beca said, smiling sadly as she watched Chicago get in his car. "Go kick ass down there, Chic. I'll see you soon."

"See you soon, Beca. I would wish you luck for LA, but you don't need it. You're gonna be amazing down there," Chicago replied with a smile. He then backed out of the brunette's driveway and waved at her before heading home for the night.

After Chicago left, Beca went back inside her house and heard footsteps walking down the stairs. The brunette went to investigate and smiled when she saw Chloe. "Hey. What have you been up to?" She asked.

"Not much. I just put the twins to bed, since they were getting really tired," Chloe replied, smiling back at Beca.

"Really? Awesome. I really appreciate that," Beca said, wrapping her arms around Chloe's waist and leaning for a kiss when they finally reached each other. "You're the best girlfriend ever."

"I know I am," Chloe said with a soft giggle. She then noticed that her girlfriend's cheeks were stained with tears. "Hey, are you doing okay? I know that Chicago leaving is hard for you."

Beca nodded her head and sniffled a little bit. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's hard, but I'll manage," she replied before looking down at the floor.

Chloe tucked some Beca's hair back and leaned their foreheads together, holding the girl close as she did so. "I'm going to miss you so much," the redhead whispered before kissing the tip of the brunette's nose.

"I'm gonna miss you too," Beca whispered back. She then pulled back and looked down at the floor again, putting her hands in her pockets and shuffling her feet awkwardly. "Have you given any more thought to us doing long distance?" She asked after a few moments of silence between them.

"I've been thinking about it a lot, actually," Chloe said, taking a deep breath and sighing. "I've been thinking about it so much that I talked to my parents about it," she stated, looking down as she said that.

"I also talked to my parents about it," Beca said, biting her lip a little and shuffling her feet some more. "So, uh, what are your thoughts?"

It was easy to tell that Chloe was upset with what she was about to say. She was leaving for Juilliard is a little under a month, and she hated the thought of being apart from Beca, which made this twice as hard. "I want to give it a try, but my parents think it would be for the better if we…" She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence due to a sudden lump in her throat.

Beca blinked a few times as she processed what Chloe had just told her. She then cleared her throat and scratched the back of her head. "Oh," was all the brunette said in reply.

"They said that it would be best if we split once I left for Juilliard. It's not because they want us to break up. Long distance is just too hard. My mom said that long distance is difficult when you're a hundred miles away, let alone three thousand," Chloe said, feeling herself start to tear up. "But my father said that everything will work out if we're meant to be together, no matter how long it takes," she added, trying to be optimistic.

Beca nodded her head slowly. "Yeah, I guess so," she said, sighing softly. She paused for a moment and then took a deep breath before continuing. "D-do you agree with them?" She asked, avoiding eye contact with Chloe as she said those words.

"I don't want to agree with them," Chloe started, taking a shaky breath before speaking again. "But I do. I hate the fact that breaking up is our best option, but they're right,," she finished, stepping back from Beca and sitting on the stairs that she had just came down from. The redhead then put her head in her hands and began to sob to herself softly.

Beca sat down next to Chloe and began to rub circles in her back in an attempt to soothe her. "It's okay, babe," the brunette murmured softly, even though she too had started to cry.

"Please don't hate me. If I felt like we could do long distance easily, then I'd be all for it. I've cried almost every night since I talked to my parents about it," Chloe said, noticing Beca was also crying.

"I don't hate you, Chlo. I could never hate you. Sure, I'm disappointed with the situation, but I don't hate you because of it," Beca said before kissing Chloe's cheek.

Chloe turned her head to face Beca and she leaned in, kissing Beca on the lips. It was a soft and loving kiss―not intense or fiery, but sweet and smooth. Chloe lingered there a while longer, only pulling away when Beca did. "We better make the most of these next four weeks, then," she muttered.

"Yeah, we better," Beca muttered back, gazing into Chloe's eyes and sniffling softly. The brunette looked away from the redhead to wipe her tears, looking back to her once she had done so. "I love you so much, Chloe Anne Beale."

The redhead linked their fingers together and smiled softly at Beca. "I love you more, Beca Jade Mitchell." She whispered, resting her head on Beca's shoulder.

"I love you most, then," Beca whispered back, a small smile crossing her face. She then looked down at their hands and smiled even more. "You're gonna be incredible at Juilliard. Trust me, they're not ready for you."

"You really think that I'll do well there?" Chloe asked, smiling as Beca looked down at their linked hands. "I'm really nervous. This is such a big change."

"Of course I think that you'll do well there. And it is a big change, but if anyone can handle this change, it's you," Beca said, squeezing Chloe's hand reassuringly.

"And I know for sure that I'll be seeing your name up in lights in a couple years, maybe even sooner," Chloe stated, gazing into Beca's eyes.

Beca gazed back into Chloe's eyes, smiling and blushing as well. "We'll find our way back to each other. I know we will," the brunette said, still gazing into the redhead's eyes as she spoke.

"We'll find our way back to each other," Chloe repeated, biting her lip before kissing Beca again. She lingered on the girl's lips for awhile before pulling away, letting out a deep breath afterwards. "I should head back to my house and get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Beca nodded her head. "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Chlo," she said, smiling and squeezing her girlfriend's hand again.

Chloe let Beca walk her to the front door of her house. When they got there, Chloe turned and kissed Beca goodnight. "Love you, babe," she mumbled against Beca's lips, wrapping her arms around Beca's waist and pulling her close.

"Love you too," Beca mumbled back, gently tugging at Chloe's bottom lip with her teeth before pulling away. The brunette spoke again after being silent for a few moments. "Thank you for everything, Chloe. Thank you for making me the happiest girl alive for these last four months. Words can't describe how much I love you."

"Words can't describe how much I love you either," Chloe murmured softly as she ran her hands up and down Beca's sides. "I've never felt this way about anyone before, and that's a fact," she said before kissing Beca's nose. "I'll see you tomorrow, my love."

"See you tomorrow, babe. I hope you get a good night's sleep," Beca said, smiling and waving at Chloe before turning around and walking back over to her own house.

 **So it looks like they will take a break when they move away, but that will lead us to the next story. These next few chapters are the last ones.**

 **Until next time!**


	31. Chapter 31: Last Night Together

Chapter 31: Last Night Together

"How has the first month of preseason training been?" Beca asked Chicago over FaceTime as she poured a bowl of cereal for herself.

"It's been good. I was kinda surprised at how hard it is, though. I mean, I knew that it would be physically-demanding, but they really don't mess around here," Chicago replied with a chuckle. "What about you? How have you been?"

"Well, my stuff is all packed up. Chloe and I are both leaving tomorrow," Beca said, walking over to the fridge to get milk for her cereal. "Chloe's stuff is already in New York, so I'm gonna drop her off at the airport before I head down to LA."

"Ah, I see. Do you have anything special planned for your last night together?" Chicago asked, smirking and playfully wiggling his eyebrows at Beca.

"Shut up," Beca said, looking away from the camera for a moment as a blush crept up onto her face. "Trio's last show is tonight, and after that we're going back to her house for the night. Her parents are already in New York and will meet her there tomorrow." She then paused for a moment, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "We're finally going to consummate our relationship tonight."

Chicago clapped his hands together and then pumped his fist in the air a few times. "Now that's what I'm talking about!" He said, making Beca chuckle and roll her eyes at him. "You know, I actually didn't expect you two to wait this long, given your reputation," he added, chuckling along with his best friend.

"I know, right? Sex is usually one of the first things I do with a girl. Waiting hasn't bothered me as much as I thought it would, though. I mean, I have seen her naked, which has kept me calm these last couple months," Beca said, her smirk growing as she spoke.

"I didn't think I'd ever say this, but you are so whipped, Beca Mitchell," Chicago said, chuckling some more.

"Ha, ha, ha. Very funny, Chic. You must be mistaken, because I am so not whipped," Beca said, although she was now blushing even harder.

"Bullshit, Beca," Chicago said, raising an eyebrow his best friend. "I've never seen you so head over Vans for a girl. Not even Olivia."

Even though Chicago was right, Beca decided to be stubborn. "Sure, I'm in love with Chloe, but that doesn't mean I'm whipped. What evidence do you have that suggests I'm whipped anyways? I'm the polar opposite of being whipped, if you ask me."

"Alright, let's see here," Chicago said, thinking about it for a moment. "Do you spend alone time with her every day?" Beca nodded. "Do you two have special nicknames for each other?" Another nod. "And I'm guessing she's usually the one on top when you two are making out, so you check out her body."

"So? What's your point? What do any of those things have to do with this?" Beca asked, furrowing her eyebrows and crossing her arms.

"You asked me about these same things when I denied being whipped for both girlfriends I've had" Chicago said, smiling at his best friend. "Chloe's a rare girl. You don't meet girls like her everyday. I know what it's like to be under her spell, and there's no harm in admitting it."

Beca opened her mouth to protest, but she didn't say anything, opting to shrug her shoulders instead. "Okay, fine. I guess I am whipped," the brunette grumbled. "Please don't make fun of me for this, though. I've got enough on my plate as it is."

"Don't worry, I won't," Chicago said, chuckling softly. "If it's any consolation, Chloe seems to be pretty whipped as well."

"Wait, really? What makes you think that?" Beca asked, biting her lip and raising an eyebrow.

"Whenever I talk to her on the phone, she talks about you for at least twenty minutes. And I've seen the way she looks at you. She never looked at me like that," Chicago answered. "That girl is crazy about you, Beca."

Beca smiled as she listened to Chicago, but her smile faded away a few moments later. "She's not crazy about me enough to want to stay together with me," she said sadly.

"Hey, listen to me," Chicago said firmly to make sure he had Beca's attention. "She's not doing this because she wants to. It's no easier for her than it is for you, and you know that. Last time I talked to her, she cried about it for almost an hour," he stated. "You and I both know that long distance doesn't work at our age. No matter who you are, things just get too rough. But she is crazy about you and she does love you more than anything, so don't mope around and say otherwise."

"I know, it's just-" Beca started before pausing to take a deep breath. "I can't help but feel like I must've done something wrong. I can't help but feel like I'm not good enough. I couldn't make Olivia stay, and I can't make Chloe stay either."

"For Pete's sake, Beca, stop comparing Chloe to Olivia," Chicago said, shaking his head. "For the hundredth time, Chloe isn't letting you go because she wants to. Why can't you understand that? Olivia was a bitch who only cared about herself. Chloe is just doing what she thinks is best for you and her," he stated. "You didn't do anything wrong. She told me that herself. Stop acting like this situation is similar to the one with Olivia, because it's not! And, quite frankly, it's insulting to Chloe that you would even compare her to Olivia."

"I didn't mean to compare her to Olivia, okay? And I don't need you yelling at me either!" Beca snapped. "I can't help what I feel, Chicago. Chloe is one of a kind. You said so yourself. So is it really that unreasonable for me to feel like I screwed up somehow? I found the perfect girl and I lost the perfect girl."

"You didn't lose her, Beca. She loves you with every fiber of her being," Chicago replied, his voice much calmer now. "You told me she said that she knows you'll find a way to be together again in the future, isn't that proof enough that you aren't losing her?" He paused to take a sip of Gatorade before speaking again. "You didn't screw up, Beca. I screwed up my chance with Chloe. You still have her heart, and there's no doubt in my mind about that."

There was a moment of silence between the two before Beca spoke up. "What if…" The brunette started, swallowing the lump in her throat before continuing. "What if she finds someone else?"

"Then she finds someone else," Chicago said, shrugging his shoulders. "But what if she doesn't? Her feelings for you are way more serious than her feelings for me were. Also, she's probably just as scared about the possibility of you finding someone else as you are about the possibility of her finding someone else. While New York is a huge place with plenty of good looking guys and girls, the love she has for you is something that can't be stolen away by someone else."

Beca nodded and then looked down for a few moments. When she looked back up, a couple tears fell down her face. "I'm scared, Chic," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "She means the world to me. I can't lose her. I just can't."

"Trust me, Beca. You're not going to lose her. Just think of this as a break for you two, and that you can reunite after she's done at Juilliard," Chicago said, trying to cheer Beca up. "Chloe loves you so, so much. Don't forget that."

Beca smiled softly and wiped her tears away with her thumb. "Thanks for listening to me, Chic. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome, buddy," Chicago said, smiling back at Beca. He then looked at the clock in his dorm room. "I better go now. Conditioning starts in twenty minutes. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"Yeah, talk to you soon. Bye, Chic," Beca said, smiling and waving at her best friend before ending the FaceTime call.

Later that day, Chloe came over to help Beca get ready for the concert. She was currently doing Beca's eyeliner, making sure to do it just the way she liked it. "I can't believe tonight is Trio's last concert. That's so crazy."

"It is pretty crazy, isn't it? I can't believe that Trio is coming to an end after four years," Beca replied. "Are you excited for the concert, babe?" She asked.

"Yes, very excited," Chloe said, applying some clear lip gloss to Beca's lips once she finished her eyeliner. "I'm even more excited for what's going to happen afterwards," she added with a smirk.

"Yeah, me too," Beca said, smirking back at her girlfriend. "Tonight is going to be a very fun night, that's for sure."

"The bikini wax pass that my mom got for me as a graduation present really came in handy. My skin is going to be extra smooth tonight," Chloe said, giggling.

"I can't wait," Beca said, her smirk growing when Chloe winked at her. "I wrote a new song for you, and we're gonna play it tonight. I think you'll really like it."

"I know I will, baby," Chloe said, smiling and biting her lip before leaning in and kissed Beca on the lips.

Beca smiled into the kiss, only pulling away when Chloe did. "That was nice," she murmured softly, gazing into her girlfriend's eyes as she spoke.

"I'm going to kiss you as much as I can over these next eighteen hours," Chloe said, smiling sadly as she tucked a few stray pieces of Beca's hair behind her ear.

"So will I," Beca said, leaning their foreheads together. There was a brief moment of silence between the two before Beca spoke again. "I love you, Chlo," the brunette murmured softly.

"I love you too, Becs," Chloe murmured back before pressing another soft kiss to Beca's lips. "I love you more than anything in this world, and that's the honest-to-God truth."

The smile on Beca's face grew, and the brunette took both of the redhead's hands in her own. "You're so amazing, Chloe. I can't even begin to tell you how much you've changed my life. I don't know what I would've done this year if you hadn't moved here."

"This has definitely been the best year of my life," Chloe said, smiling back at Beca before bringing one of her hands up and kissing it.

A little while later, they headed over to the venue to do their soundcheck. Once that was over, Beca, Jesse and Benji went backstage to wait. "It's been quite the ride, you guys," Beca said as they huddled up.

"Yeah, it has. Unfortunately, everything good must come to an end, but I'll never forget the memories that we made together these last four years," Benji said with a smile.

"Let's give it everything we got tonight," Jesse said smiling as he held his drumsticks. "It's been an honor playing with you guys," he said.

"I agree. Now let's go out there and give the audience the performance of a lifetime," Beca said, smiling widely at her bandmates.

The crowd went crazy as they walked onstage. Beca smiled when she spotted her parents and all of her friends in the crowd. "How's everyone doing tonight?" The brunette said into the microphone, chuckling when the crowd cheered loudly again. "That's good to hear. As you all know, this is Trio's last show, so we're gonna make this one extra awesome for you guys. How does that sound?"

After the crowd cheered, they playing some fan favorites, like "Locked Out of Heaven," "I Write Sins Not Tragedies," "Hope For Me Yet" and "Tenerife Sea." It was amazing to see how many people loved their music and how many people knew all the words to their songs. Because of this, Beca found herself teary-eyed on multiple occasions. As the show was drawing to a close, the brunette turned to Benji and Jesse. "I think we should play 'Fool for Love' now. Does that sound good?" She asked them.

Both boys immediately nodded. They knew that this could be the last song they ever performed together, depending on whether or not they had a reunion in the future. All three of them contributed to the writing of the song, so they each had their own singing parts. "Let's do it," Jesse said with a smile.

"Yeah, let's do it," Benji said, a smile on his face as well.

"Alright then." Beca then turned back to the crowd. "Our last song of the night is one that we recently wrote. It's a love song and a farewell song, and we hope you enjoy it. This one is called 'Fool for Love.'" Benji then started to play his bass guitar, and Beca started a loop on the keyboard before beginning to play her acoustic guitar. As his two bandmates played their guitars, Jesse took a few deep breaths to calm himself before he went into the first verse.

"Fool for Love"- Lord Huron

 **Jesse:** "I'm leaving this place behind and I'm heading out on the road tonight.

I'm off for the hinterlands, way up north where the tall trees stand.

Before I commence my ride, I'm asking Lily to be my bride.

I know there's another man but he ain't gonna delay my plans.

 **Jesse & Benji: **"I know she's gonna be my wife.

Gonna fall in love, I'm gonna live my life with her.

You know, I bet he's not so tough.

Ain't afraid of him 'cause I'm a fool for love."

The crowd cheered as the band played, dancing along with the melody and clapping their hands to the rhythm. Beca couldn't help but smile at the crowd as they played the song flawlessly. Then, the brunette's eyes landed on Chloe, and she was unable to keep bittersweet tears from falling as she started singing the second verse.

 **Beca:** "I've come far to find Big Jim, well here I am and I guess you're him.

I can see how you got your name, you're tall as hell and broad as a train.

They say you're a hard-worn man,

The baddest guy in the whole wide land.

Well, I'm not afraid to fight, let's step outside and I'll show you why."

 **Beca & Jesse: **"I'm humming like a revved up truck.

Nevermind the odds, I'm gonna try my luck.

Just tell me when you've had enough,

I'm dangerous 'cause I'm a fool for love."

 **Beca, Jesse & Benji: "**You know, you don't hit half bad,

Oh but I'm gonna lay you to ground tonight,

Just wait until I catch my breath,

Gonna send you on to an early death."

The song then went back to the instrumental part from the beginning, Beca and Benji playing their guitars while Jesse started a soft beat on the drums. After a few moments, the instrumental part stopped and Benji began his solo.

 **Benji:** "I lie in the drifting snow, bleeding out as it covers me over.

If spring comes before I'm found, just throw my bones in a hole in the ground.

I lost friends along my way, I knew I'd need them eventually.

No, I'm not afraid to die, I'm just mad I left Big Jim alive."

 **Benji & Beca: **"I know I should've never looked back,

But you ain't gonna win a woman's heart like that.

I never should've called his bluff,

I was born to lose 'cause I'm a fool for love."

 **Benji, Beca & Jesse: **"I stare into the endless sky

And the sorry tale of my life goes by.

I drift into the great unknown

And I really don't know where I'm going.

I stare into the endless sky

And the sorry tale of my life goes by.

I drift into the great unknown

And I really don't know where I'm going."

As they ended the song in harmony, the crowd cheered louder than they had ever cheered before. Beca turned to look at Benji and Jesse, smiling from ear to ear. She then gestured for them to join her at the front of the stage. Once they were standing next to each other, the three of them linked hands and bowed in unison. After they bowed, they stayed onstage as they listened to and watched the crowd cheer. They wanted to savor this moment, as it was the end of this chapter of their lives.

They stayed onstage for quite some time, smiling and waving at the crowd as they cried tears of both happiness and sorrow. They did have to leave the stage eventually, but not before they had each taken a vivid picture of the scene in their heads. "Wow," Beca said, chuckling softly as she wiped away her tears. "That was absolutely incredible."

"That was the best show we've ever played in my opinion," Jesse stated confidently. "The crowd went crazy for that last song."

"They really did. It was insane," Benji said with a chuckle.

"It really has been an honor to play with you guys," Beca said after a moment of silence. "I love you guys. Being in this band has been one of the best, if not the best experience of my life. Thanks to you guys, I'll be able to smile when I look back at my high school days."

"Same here. I don't know if I would've gotten through high school if it weren't for this band," Benji said, chuckling some more.

Aubrey, Emily, and Chloe then ran backstage to meet them. Both Jesse and Benji picked up their girlfriends and spun them around. Beca smiled when Chloe walked over to her and placed her hands on her waist. "Hi," the brunette said, smiling as she leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on the redhead's lips.

"Hey," Chloe murmured back, smiling into the kiss. When they pulled away, she leaned their foreheads together. "I liked the new song. I really liked it, actually," she whispered, her smile growing wider as she said that.

"That's good to know, since it was for you, Beca replied with a smile. "Granted, it's also for Aubrey and Emily, but it's all for you when it comes to me," she added, kissing Chloe's nose. Beca then kissed Chloe again, pulling her body close and moving her hands to the dip in her back as she did so. "You look so gorgeous right now."

"So do you, babe. So do you," Chloe mumbled back, only pulling back from the kiss when Beca did. "Are you ready for our night together?" The redhead asked, lowering her voice so only the brunette could hear her.

"That's a trick question, right?" Beca said with a smile. "I've been ready for a long time, and I think you know that," she whispered, pulling Chloe even closer to her. "You wanna get out of here once everything's packed up?"

"That's a trick question, right?" Chloe said with a giggle. She then leaned in and nibbled on Beca's earlobe a little bit before whispering, "Of course I wanna get out of here, babe."

A huge smirk appeared on Beca's face when Chloe teeth tugged at her earlobe, and she felt a spark of arousal ignite in her body. "Alright. guys, let's get everything packed up," she ordered, making Chloe laugh.

About thirty minutes later, Beca and Chloe said their final goodbyes to everyone in their friend group. It was bittersweet to say the least, and tears were definitely shed by everyone. They did agree to stay in touch with everyone, however, so they weren't too glum.

Beca and Chloe then walked over to Beca's car, and the brunette opened the door for her girlfriend. Before her girlfriend could get inside the car, Beca brought her in for a deep kiss. The brunette lingered on the redhead's lips for quite some time. "You ready to go?" She asked after they pulled away.

Chloe nodded her head and then looked down as a blush crept up onto her face. "Yeah, I'm ready. Are you?"

"You bet I am. I'm so ready, babe," Beca whispered before kissing Chloe's lips one more time. When she pulled away, Beca walked to the driver's side of the car and then got inside. Once they had their seatbelts on, Beca turned on her car and pulled out of the venue's parking lot. Along the way, Beca's hand moved over to Chloe's leg and ran her fingers along the girl's thigh, smiling at how smooth her skin was. "Are you nervous?" She asked, knowing that this was the redhead's first time with a girl.

"I am a little nervous," Chloe replied, biting her lip and looking down for a moment. "How about you? I mean, I know you've done it with other girls before, but are you nervous?"

"Yeah, I am," Beca admitted, letting out a deep breath and a soft chuckle. "I mean, it is you, after all. I want it to be good for you because I love you, and I want you to have a positive experience."

"Don't worry, babe, I'm certain that this will be a positive experience," Chloe said, smiling and then winking at her girlfriend to reassure her. "I'm more worried about my performance than yours, to be honest. I already know that you're going to be amazing, but I'm not so sure about myself," the redhead added, biting her lip and looking down again.

"You'll be amazing, Chloe," Beca said, bringing her hand up and kissing the back of it. "If you want, I can go first so you get an idea of what to do."

Chloe hesitated for a split second and then nodded her head. "Thanks, Becs. I really appreciate that," she said softly.

"You're welcome," Beca said before turning onto their street. Beca squeezed Chloe's hand as they got closer to their houses, her heart beating faster and faster by the second. She was about to have sex with Chloe, and she was both nervous and excited.

When they got to their houses, Beca pulled her car into Chloe's driveway and then turned it off. The brunette closed her eyes and took a couple deep breaths before turning to the redhead. "I'm so glad that I can finally able to show you just how much I love you."

Chloe smiled at Beca and then leaned in to kiss her lips. "I'm ready," she whispered once they pulled away.

Beca smiled and then got out of her car, letting Chloe take her hand and lead her to her house. "So, we have the place to ourselves?" She asked.

"Mmhm. We can be as loud as we want," Chloe said with a smirk as she and Beca walked up the steps of her front porch.

"That's good, because I'm going to make you scream my name a lot," Beca said, turning Chloe around when they got to the front door so she could give her a kiss. She then stopped so Chloe could open the door, pulling her into another kiss once they were both inside. "I've wanted this for so long, babe. You have no idea how much I've wanted this," the brunette mentioned as they went upstairs to her room.

"Show me, then," Chloe challenged, wrapping her arms around Beca's neck and kissing her roughly. "Show me," she repeated as she brought her girlfriend into her bedroom.

Beca smirked before pressing her body flush against Chloe's, moving her hands to the girl's bum and giving it a soft squeeze before backing her up against the wall. She slid her tongue inside Chloe's mouth and put her hands in the back pockets of her shorts. The brunette then moved her lips to the redhead's neck and started sucking on her skin, grinding their hips together as well.

"Shit," Chloe muttered under her breath, biting her lip to keep herself from moaning. The redhead then turned her head to the side, giving the brunette more access to her neck. "Shit, Becs. That feels so good," she whimpered softly.

Beca then began removing Chloe's clothing, starting with her tank top and her red jean shorts. She then stepped back and smiled while she took in the view, as her girlfriend was only clad in her underwear and bra now. Beca then took her hand and brought over to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it before starting to kiss along Chloe's abs as she stood there in all her glory. "You're so damn sexy," she mumbled, gently tugging at Chloe's lacy black underwear with her teeth before continuing to press kisses against her skin. The brunette then pulled the redhead down onto her lap, kissing her cleavage while wrapping her arms around her waist.

Chloe smiled and let out a contented sigh, closing her eyes and pushing Beca's head down closer to her skin. "Mmm, that feels nice. Keep doing that, Becs," she murmured.

A smile tugged at the corner of Beca's mouth as she continued to suck gently on the top of Chloe's breasts. "I'm so lucky," she muttered under her breath, running her hands up and down Chloe's sides. She then reached up and unclipped Chloe's bra, moving her head back so she could take it off. While the redhead took off her bra, Beca removed her own shirt and then went back to her previous ministrations, paying particular to Chloe's nipples while she sucked on her breasts.

Chloe let out another contented sigh, although this one was cut short by a soft moan. "Oh Beca," she whispered, tilting her head back and moaning again.

"That's what I like to hear," Beca said, taking that moment to move farther back onto the bed. She then flipped them over so she was now on top and kissed Chloe's lips while her hands ran up and down her sides. "Your skin is so smooth," she mumbled before she started leaving kisses all over Chloe's body, not leaving an inch of skin untouched.

"I told you that the bikini wax pass came in handy," Chloe said with a soft chuckle. She then closed her eyes and allowed Beca to take full control of the situation, moaning every now and then to spur her girlfriend on.

Beca smiled and chuckled before moving her lips down the valley between Chloe's breasts, softly scratching the girl's thighs with one hand as she did so. "Tell me what you're feeling right now," she whispered as her free hand started to travel down her girlfriend's body.

"I feel alive," Chloe whispered back, a soft moan falling from her lips as she watched Beca's ministrations. "I feel alive, and I feel happy, and I feel loved."

"Good. That's how I want you to feel," Beca said as her hand got closer and closer to Chloe's core. When her hand reached its destination, the brunette started to rub the redhead's core over her underwear. "Mmm, you're so wet for me baby," she whispered with a smirk.

"I mean, can you blame me?" Chloe asked, groaning as Beca continued to rub her core. "Fuck, Becs," she cursed, biting her lip to hold in a moan that had risen up in her throat.

Beca's smirk grew at this reaction, and she rubbed Chloe's core for a little while longer before she slipped her hand underneath her underwear and began to rub tight circles on her clit. The brunette loved how wet Chloe was for her, and she continued her ministrations as the redhead squirmed around underneath her.

"Oh God," Chloe moaned loudly, as she was no longer able to restrain herself from doing so. Beca was pleasuring her, but the redhead needed more. "More, baby, more," she whimpered, bucking her hips towards the brunette's hand.

Beca kissed down Chloe's body and then removed her underwear before slowly sliding a finger inside her. "Shit, you're so tight," she whispered, kissing along Chloe's abs and right underneath her breasts. Beca then began to thrust that finger in and out of Chloe's core, making the girl moan even more as she rubbed her clit and thrusted inside her.

Chloe gasped when Beca first inserted her finger, and then she let out a long moan. "Right there, Beca. Faster, baby," she moaned, panting as she struggled to catch her breath.

The brunette added a second finger to the mix, thrusting a little faster like the redhead had requested. She moved her lips down to her girlfriend's stomach and kissed up to her chest before planting a sweet kiss on her lips. Beca smiled into the kiss, feeling the vibrations from Chloe's lips that occurred whenever she moaned.

Chloe cupped Beca's face in her hands as they kissed, sliding her tongue into her mouth and engaging in a battle for dominance. Their lips were connected for quite some time, the girls only pulling away when they needed to catch their breath. Chloe then leaned their foreheads together, closing her eyes and moaning for what seemed to be the hundredth time. "Shit, Becs. You make me feel so good."

"I'm just getting started, babe," Beca whispered, kissing Chloe again as she continued to pleasure the redhead with her fingers. Hearing Chloe moan was the definitely the sexiest sound that Beca had ever heard. The brunette pulled away from the kiss and began to move her lips down her body at a slow pace, not stopping her thrusts as she did so. Then, to enhance Chloe's pleasure, Beca replaced her thumb with her tongue and started flicking it on her clit. "Fuck, you taste good, baby."

Chloe gasped again and pushed Beca's head down closer to her core, running her hands through the brunette's hair and tugging at the ends of it as well. "Beca!" The redhead yelled out, her eyes rolling back into her head as her back arched off of her bed.

The redhead's reaction made Beca smile, and she used her free hand to push Chloe's hips down against the bed. Her tongue and her fingers then swapped places after a while, so she was now sucking on Chloe's folds while rubbing her clit. "Your pussy is so wet, babe. Holy shit," she murmured, sending vibrations up Chloe's core as she pleasured her insides with her tongue.

"Only for you, b-babe. Only f-for you," Chloe stuttered, gritting her teeth and arching her back again. The redhead gritted her teeth harder and screwed her eyes shut, feeling her walls start to clench up around Beca's tongue. "I'm g-getting close, babe."

Beca then took Chloe's legs and wrapped them around her head to give herself full access, a smile spreading across her face as she gave Chloe everything she had. The brunette then added a couple fingers, knowing that the combination of her tongue and her fingers would send the redhead over the edge for sure. As a bonus, her free hand went up to Chloe's right breast to massage it. "Mmm, I know you're close, baby. Cum for me. Scream my name," she whispered.

Chloe bit her lip, trying to keep herself from hitting her climax for just a little while longer. Her efforts were unsuccessful, however, and the redhead screamed her girlfriend's name at the top of her lungs as an orgasm ripped through her body. "Oh fuck! Beca!"

The brunette held Chloe down against the bed as she continued to go down on her. Her tongue swirled around Chloe's folds in slow, agonizing strokes. While the redhead came down from her high, the brunette sucked on her folds. Beca smirked when she felt Chloe's hands tug at the ends of her hair as she kissed up her body, finishing it off planting a rough but sweet kiss on her lips. "Fucking hell, Chlo. That was so fucking hot. You're so damn sexy."

"That was absolutely incredible, Beca," Chloe said, a smile spreading across her face. Her chest heaved as she caught her breath, and a bead of sweat trickled down her forehead. "Really, Becs. That felt so, so good. Thank you."

Beca smiled down at Chloe before leaning down to kiss her. "I've never enjoyed going down on someone than I just enjoyed going down on you, so I'm glad you enjoyed it too." She stated before kissing the redhead again.

"Saying that I enjoyed it is putting it lightly," Chloe mumbled against Beca's lips with a soft chuckle. When they pulled away, the redhead gazed up into the brunette's eyes and smiled. "You were so good, Becs. You were better than I could've ever imagined."

"I mean, I did say that I was going to give you my all," Beca pointed out, smiling softly at the girl underneath her. She tucked a stray piece of red hair behind Chloe's ear and then kissed her softly. "I love you so much, and I wanted to show you just how much."

"Well, you certainly did that," Chloe said, smiling as their lips moved together in perfect sync. Their lips lingered on each other's for awhile before they both pulled away. "I want to show you how much I love you," Chloe whispered after a moment of silence. "Can I show you how much I love you?"

A huge smile made its way onto Beca's face, and she quickly nodded her head. "Please show me, babe," she said before climbing off of Chloe and laying down beside her. Beca was only in her bra and her jeans, and she smirked softly when she saw the hungry, lustful look in Chloe's eyes.

Chloe climbed on top of Beca and then cupped her face in her hands before smashing their lips together in a passionate kiss. "I'm gonna make you feel so good," she mumbled against her girlfriend's lips, breaking the kiss a few moments later and moving her lips to her neck.

"I know you will, babe," Beca said with a shaky breath, sighing with content as Chloe's lips began sucking on her neck.

Chloe started by sucking a hickey into Beca's skin. She then pulled away to inspect her work, and she giggled softly when she realized that the hickey was in a pretty noticeable spot. "You're going to have to cover that up. I hope that's okay," she said before reattaching her lips to her girlfriend's neck and sucking another hickey into her skin.

Beca would have chuckled if she wasn't so turned on at the moment. "I think I'll manage," she said, allowing Chloe to take full control of the situation. A small smile spread across the brunette's face as she watched her redheaded girlfriend suck purple and red bruises into her skin. "God, Chlo. That feels so good. Keep doing that," she moaned softly.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Chloe's mouth, and she started to leave a trail of hickeys on Beca's skin. She moved her lips from one side of her girlfriend's neck to the other, leaving a few hickeys on her chest and collarbone as well. "You're all mine, baby. All mine," the redhead purred, gently nibbling on the brunette's earlobe for a moment after she finished speaking.

Beca whimpered at Chloe's words and then let out a soft moan when she felt her tug at her earlobe with her teeth. "I had a feeling that you were gonna be a tease," she whispered with a soft chuckle that sounded more like a moan. "Please, Chlo. I need more. You're turning me on so much."

"I know I am, baby. I'll give you what you want if you can be patient and wait a little longer," Chloe whispered back, moving her lips back to Beca's and kissing her softly.

Beca groaned against Chloe's lips. She ran her hands up and down Chloe's naked back, squeezing her bum every now and then as well. "You're so sexy," she whispered.

"Thank you, Becs. So are you," Chloe replied, smiling softly as the kiss became more heated. One of Chloe's hands started moving down Beca's body, and she began to leave little scratches on her skin with her fingernails.

Beca ran her hands through Chloe's fiery red hair as their tongues engaged in a battle for dominance. "Mmm, baby. I love kissing you," she mumbled.

"I love kissing you too, babe," Chloe mumbled back against Beca's lips. Her hand was getting closer to her girlfriend's core, and she felt the girl start to tremble with anticipation. "Someone's excited, huh?" She asked, chuckling softly.

"I really need you, Chlo. I can't help what you do to me," Beca whispered, biting her lip as Chloe's hand moved down her body at an agonizingly slow pace. Chloe's hand was now hovering over Beca's core, and she bit her lip as she gazed down at her girlfriend. The redhead was about to start rubbing the brunette's core over her underwear, but she hesitated for a split second. This action did not go unnoticed by Beca. "Chlo? Is everything okay?"

"I don't want to mess this up, Beca," Chloe said nervously, looking down as she spoke. "I've never done this with a girl before, and I don't want to screw it up and make you upset."

"Hey, listen to me," Beca said, lifting Chloe's chin up so they were gazing into each other's eyes. "You're not gonna mess this up, okay? There's no way you could mess this up. There's no doubt in my mind that you're going to be amazing."

Chloe looked into her girlfriend's eyes and nodded her head before leaning down to kiss her lips. Then, a sudden confidence rushed through Chloe's veins, and the kiss between her and Beca became rough and passionate as a result.

"Mmm," Beca hummed, smiling against Chloe's lips and moving her hands to her hips. "I love you, babe."

"I love you too, Becs," Chloe whispered, tugging at Beca's bottom lip with her teeth as she pulled away from the kiss. The redhead then started rubbing the brunette's core, smirking when she heard the girl moan almost instantly. "You like that?"

Beca barely managed to nod her head as Chloe began to rub her core. "Yes, I love it," she whispered back, moaning softly after she finished speaking.

"Good," Chloe said, continuing to rub Beca's core. Every time the brunette moaned, the smirk on the redhead's face grew and she was further spurred on. Chloe then started to grind their hips together, creating friction between their bodies and giving Beca more pleasure.

"Holy shit, Chlo," Beca muttered, gripping Chloe's waist tightly as the girl worked her magic. With each body roll, Beca felt herself get more and more turned on. "I need you, babe."

"I know, baby. Can you wait just a little bit longer? I promise that it'll be worth it," Chloe asked sweetly, stopping her ministrations as she talked.

As much as Beca wanted Chloe now, she knew that waiting a little while longer would indeed be worth it. The brunette nodded her head and kissed Chloe's lips as the redhead resumed her grinding.

Chloe continued to grind their hips together for a little while longer before stopping altogether. She also stopped rubbing Beca's core with her hand. The redhead gazed deep into the brunette's eyes and smiled at her before she took off the girl's underwear and slowly slid two fingers into her.

"Fuck," Beca gasped at the sudden contact before moaning and bucking her hips towards Chloe's fingers. "Right there, babe," she muttered, kissing her girlfriend so she could both hear and feel her moans. "Oh god, Chlo. That's so good," the brunette moaned softly as the redhead built up a pace with her thrusting.

Beca's reaction made Chloe's confidence soar, and she was now even more determined to help her girlfriend reach her climax. She started thrusting her fingers faster, using her free hand to unclip and remove Beca's bra at the same time. She then started to gently suck on the girl's nipples as well.

"Oh my god," Beca muttered, loving all the sensations that she was experiencing at the moment. "Shit, Chlo! You're so good!"

Chloe suddenly withdrew her fingers and stopped sucking on Beca's nipples. The redhead moved her lips down the brunette's body pretty quickly, placing her mouth on her girlfriend's core a few seconds later. She smirked when she heard Beca moan loudly as she started to suck on her wet folds.

Beca threw her head back and moaned loudly, loving the intense pleasure she was receiving. She ran her fingers through Chloe's hair as the girl continued to go down on her. "Oh my god, baby!" Beca moaned, pushing Chloe's head down when she felt her start to suck on her clit.

Chloe sucked on Beca's clit for a few more moments before starting to swirl her tongue around her folds at a slow pace. The redhead heard the brunette moan yet again and started to go faster, loving the reaction she was getting. Her girlfriend also pushed her head down closer to her core, so Chloe responded by going even faster and moving both of her hands up to massage the brunette's breasts.

"Fucking hell, Chlo," Beca moaned, feeling her walls start to clench up around Chloe's tongue. "Shit, I'm so close. Finish me off, baby."

"Your wish is my command, baby," Chloe mumbled, moving one of her hands back down to Beca's core. She moved her mouth from her girlfriend's core to her hip, sucking a hickey into her skin while she inserted two fingers inside her and started thrusting rapidly.

"Oh fuck! Yes, Chlo!" Beca moaned, feeling her walls clench up even more as she got closer to her climax. "I need your tongue, babe! Holy shit!"

Chloe instantly moved her mouth back to Beca's core, sucking on her folds gently while her fingers thrusted in and out. The brunette's walls were now tighter than ever before, and the redhead knew that she would hit her climax any second now. "Come on, baby. Let go for me. Cum for me," Chloe encouraged.

Those words were all Beca needed to send her over the edge. She was unable to control her body when she hit her climax, her back arching and her toes curling. "Fuck, Chloe!" She screamed, pushing Chloe's head eve closer to her core. Beca's chest was heaving as she came down from her high, and a layer of sweat had formed on her skin. "Fuck, that was incredible," the brunette moaned softly, allowing the redhead to soothe her core by sucking on her folds.

Chloe went down on Beca for a little while longer before trailing her lips back up her girlfriend's body. The redhead pecked the brunette on the lips once she had finished the trail of kisses, and a smile spread across her face as she sighed with content. "Was it really that good?" Chloe asked, biting her lip and smiling even wider.

"Are you kidding? Chloe, that was beyond amazing," Beca said, smiling up at her girlfriend and then kissing her gently. "I've never felt so connected to someone before," she said genuinely. "You make me feel so alive, baby. I haven't enjoyed sex this much before. I actually felt like the person I was with loves me just as much as I love them. I've never felt that way before, Chlo. This was absolutely amazing, baby. It really was."

Chloe began to blush and looked down, her smile growing impossibly wider. "Thank you, Becs. The same goes from me to you. I love you so, so much," she murmured softly. There was a brief moment of silence before the redhead spoke again. "I've never loved someone like I love you, Beca. You mean the world to me. You're my everything."

It was in that moment that Beca finally realized that what Chicago had told her earlier was right. Even though they weren't going to be together for awhile, Chloe truly did love Beca. This knowledge caused the brunette to smile widely at the redhead. She then tucked some of her hair back before pulling her down into a soft kiss. "You're my everything too, Chloe, and you always will be. No matter what."

 **OMG! Beca and Chloe finally had sex! Something we know you guys have been waiting for.**

 **And to the people who have been upset with the side stories with Chicago and Stacie etc. We wanted there to be more than just one storyline, because that's what makes a good plot. If it just focuses on one or two people then the story has no development. So that's why we have these other existing plotline's.**

 **Anyways, we hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be the last one for this story and we will be starting on the sequel soon!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	32. Chapter 32: It's Time

Chapter 32: It's Time

Chloe was the first to wake up the next morning. When the redhead sat up in her bed and stretched, she noticed that her body felt sore. A small smile then made its way onto her face when she remembered the events of the previous night. Chloe turned and smiled even more when she saw Beca laying next to her. _Damn. She's so beautiful_ , the redhead thought to herself as she admired her girlfriend's features. Part of Chloe wanted time to freeze right then so she could gaze at Beca for the rest forever. All the redhead wanted was to stay there with the brunette and not think about what was going to happen in the coming hours. When she left for New York, her relationship with Beca would be over. Chloe didn't want to think about it right now, so she decided to take her mind off of it by laying back down next to Beca and snuggling up to her.

Beca did wake up a few minutes later, though. She opened her eyes slowly, squinting for a few moments as they adjusted to the light, and then turned to see that Chloe was already awake. "Hey," she murmured, smiling softly. "How did you sleep?"

"Really well, actually. I'm pretty sore, though," Chloe said with a chuckle before she leaned to give Beca a sweet kiss on the lips. "How did you sleep?"

"I slept well too," Beca replied, smiling into the kiss. When they pulled away, the brunette leaned her forehead against the redhead's. "We should probably get up soon, huh?"

"We can stay in bed for a little while longer," Chloe said, wanting to postpone the inevitable as long as she could. "I don't have to be at the airport for another five hours, and you already have all of your stuff packed and in your car."

"Alright then," Beca said, tracing shapes on Chloe's arm with her fingers. "Since we have some time to kill, would you maybe want to…?" She trailed off, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Chloe bit her lip when she understood what Beca was implying. She responded to her girlfriend's question by rolling on top of her and kissing her passionately. "Does that answer your question?" The redhead murmured against her girlfriend's lips.

Beca nodded her head, her smirk growing as she did so. "Yeah, that does," she murmured back before pulling Chloe down into another kiss, this one slower and more loving than the previous one.

"Are you sore from last night, babe?" Chloe mumbled against Beca's lips, started to roll her hips slowly.

"Do you even have to ask that question?" Beca said, chuckling a little before letting out a soft groan as she watched Chloe roll her hips.

Chloe smiled and then licked up the side of Beca's neck, sucking and biting down on her earlobe gently once she reached it. "Oh god," she moaned when Beca began to grind their hips together.

"I love it when you moan because of me," Beca said, moving her lips to Chloe's collarbone and sucking a few hickeys into her skin. "You have no idea how turned on I get when I hear you moan," she added.

"Then why don't you take control and make me moan some more, babe?" Chloe whispered, smiling when Beca pulled her onto her lap. Another moan escaped her lips when Beca began grinding her knee against her core, which was already wet. "Oh fuck, Becs!" She whimpered.

"That's right. Say my name, baby," Beca said in a low voice, continuing to grind her knee against Chloe's core. "Who do you belong to?" She asked. When the redhead didn't respond, the brunette started grinding her knee harder and faster. "Answer my question. Who do you belong to?" She growled.

"You, babe. I belong to you," Chloe whimpered, throwing her head back and letting out a long moan as Beca continued her ministrations.

Beca gradually slowed the pace of her grinding until she stopped altogether. She then cupped Chloe's face in her hands and gazed into her eyes. "When we're apart, the distance between us won't matter to me. I'm still going to love you even though we won't be together. I'm still going to be yours even though we won't be together," the brunette said in a soft voice.

Beca's words made Chloe's eyes fill up with bittersweet tears, and she leaned down to press a kiss to Beca's lips. "I love you, and I'm never going to stop loving you. No matter what happens, I know we'll be together again," she whispered, leaning her forehead against Beca's.

There was a moment of silence between the two girls before Beca spoke. "Will you still be mine? Even though we won't be together, will you still be mine?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I will always be yours," Chloe whispered, feeling Beca's hot breath against her face. "You have my heart now, and you'll have my heart forever."

A couple tears fell down Beca's face when Chloe said that, and the brunette sniffled a little as she wiped them away. "Thank you," she whispered back, leaning forward so that the distance between them was merely centimeters.

Chloe tucked a stray piece of Beca's hair behind her ear before cupped her cheeks with her hands, leaning in and closing the gap between their lips. The kiss was slow and deep, as Chloe wanted to savor each and every moment. "I love you, but let's not say goodbye before we absolutely have to, okay?" She said, feeling more tears well up in her eyes.

Beca nodded her head in agreement. "I'm sorry if I ruined the mood. I just wanted to make sure you knew how I felt," she said a few moments later, looking down as she spoke.

This made the redhead chuckle before lifting Beca's chin up with her hand. "You didn't ruin it at all," she whispered, leaning in and kissing Beca's lips again. "If anything, you made me want you even more, Beca," she added.

"Oh, really?" Beca asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "That's good, then. I wasn't expecting that," she said, chuckling softly.

"I've known that you love me for a while, but I didn't know just how much until now. I guess that just made me want you more," Chloe said, smiling and giggling.

"I'm glad, babe, because I want you too," Beca said, smiling back at Chloe. "Now, where were we?"

"I believe you said that hearing me moan turns you on," Chloe said, a smirk slowly spreading across her face.

Beca scratched the back of her head and then nodded her head. "Yeah, that sounds about right to me. Would you like me to continue what I was doing when I said that?" She said, her smile turning into a smirk.

"Please do," Chloe said with a smile before allowing Beca to take control again. A moan fell from the redhead's lips as soon as the brunette's knee began grinding against her core.

About forty minutes later, the two girls were out of bed and dressed. Beca was helping Chloe pack her bag for the plane ride when she got a text from her mother.

 **Cala:** Hey, sweetie! Remember to come say goodbye before you drop Chloe off at the airport.

 **Beca:** Will do! I'll see you in a bit, Mom :)

"Who are you texting?" Chloe asked curiously as she put her earbuds and portable phone charger in her bag.

"My mom texted to remind me to come say goodbye before I drop you off at the airport," Beca answered. "Would you like to come with me? I know the twins will want to say goodbye to you. It seems like they like you more than me sometimes," she said with a chuckle.

"Oh, I doubt that," Chloe said, smiling and chuckling. "They may love me, but you're their older sister. They're definitely going to miss you more than me," she stated. "I'm going to make some breakfast. What would you like?"

"I mean, I've already had my breakfast, so you can make whatever you want," Beca replied, winking at Chloe after she finished speaking.

"Well, if that's what we're going off of, then I already ate too," Chloe replied, giggling at Beca's comment as well as her own.

Beca smiled sheepishly as a blush crept up onto her face. "Well played, Chlo. Well played," she said, chuckling at her girlfriend's reply.

"So, do you want anything? I can make waffles," Chloe offered. "I have a little over three hours before I have to be at the airport. After breakfast, we can put my stuff in your car and go hang out with your family for a little bit. Does that sound good?"

"Yup, sounds good to me. Thanks for making breakfast, babe. I appreciate it," Beca said, giving Chloe a quick kiss on the lips before they finished packing her bag.

Chloe smiled and then headed down to the kitchen to start breakfast. First, she made some bacon. Next, she made the batter for the waffles, grabbing the waffle iron from the cupboard afterwards. She smiled when she felt Beca's arms wrapped around her waist, and she leaned back into the girl's embrace while she started to make scrambled eggs.

"Mmm, the food smells really good," Beca said, resting her chin on Chloe's shoulder as she embraced her from behind. The brunette then started to kiss the redhead's neck, starting by her ear and moving down towards her collarbone.

"Good, I'm glad you think so," Chloe said, sighing with content as Beca's lips pressed against her skin. She then grabbed and ate a raspberry from the fruit bowl before moving the eggs to the back burner of the stove. "You wanna start the waffles, babe?"

"Can I do that and kiss you at the same time?" Beca asked, continuing to trail her lips along Chloe's neck.

Chloe couldn't help but smile and nod. "Of course you can, baby," she said as she started on the hash browns.

"Wait, really? Sweet!" Beca said enthusiastically. "Alright, now where's the batter and the waffle iron?"

"The waffle iron is plugged in over there and the batter bowl is sitting right next to it," Chloe told her as she seasoned the hash browns.

"Alright, cool," Beca said, grabbing the batter bowl and the waffle iron. She didn't do anything with them, though; she just stood there with a clueless look on her face. "Uh, Chlo? What am I supposed to do?" She asked. "This looks a lot more complicated than microwaving Eggo waffles," the brunette added.

Chloe chuckled before turning around to help Beca. "Alright, so you're going to open the iron and pour some batter into it. Then, you close the iron and flip it, and the iron will cook the waffle until it's done. The timer will go off when it's done, so then you'll flip the iron back over and get the waffle out with a fork," she explained, demonstrating for Beca as she did so.

"Ah, okay," Beca said. She did what Chloe had told her to, turning to her when she finished the first waffle. "How does this look, babe?" She asked, pointing to the waffle she had made.

"That looks great, babe," Chloe said in a genuine tone. "Everything else is ready, so you just need to make a couple more waffles and then we can eat."

"Wow, way to put the pressure on me," Beca joked, taking the waffle out of the waffle iron and then pouring some more batter into it.

Chloe smirked and then leaned over to kiss Beca's cheek. "I'm sure that you can handle it, babe." Chloe said before getting each of them a plate and some silverware.

"I don't know about that. This is my first time making waffles, after all. And don't put all the pressure on me and then try to distract me," Beca said with a chuckle as she closed and flipped the waffle iron.

"Sorry babe, I won't distract you while you're making the waffles." Chloe said before plating the rest of the food and heating up the syrup.

After breakfast, Chloe put her stuff in Beca's car and they headed over to Beca's house to hang out with her family. The door opened seconds after Beca knocked, and the brunette smiled when she was greeted by the twins. "Hey, you two. How did you sleep last night?"

"Good! Did you sleep well?" Henry said sweetly as he gave Beca a hug. While he did this, Hailee went up to Chloe and gave her a hug.

"Yeah, I did. Did you dream about anything?" Beca asked as she hugged Henry back.

"Nope, but I did wake up in the middle of the night because I had to go to the bathroom," Henry said with a smile before he and Hailee moved out of the doorway so Beca and Chloe could come in.

"It's good that you woke up to go to the bathroom. That's a lot better than having an accident," Beca said with a chuckle as she followed the twins into the house.

"Yeah," Henry replied as they walked towards the kitchen, which was where Cala and Jacob were. "Mama! Beca and Chloe are here!"

Cala came out from the kitchen a few moments later, Jacob following behind her. "Hey, sweetie," she said as she opened her arms for an embrace.

"Hey, Mom," Beca said, hugging her mother for a while before pulling away so she could hug her father. "How's your day been so far?"

"It's been good," Cala answered, smiling as she watched Beca embrace Jacob. "Are you excited to go to LA?" She asked.

Beca took a deep breath and nodded her head. "I really am. It's gonna be a long drive, but I have enough money to stop at a hotel for the night," she stated with a smile. "I already have interviews scheduled for couple different restaurants. Also, Luke is going to pull some strings and see if he can get me a job at a radio station he used to work at," she added.

"That's great, sweetie. I know you'll have a great time there," Cala replied with a smile. She then turned to Chloe. "Are you excited to go to New York?"

"Yes, very. My parents are already there and we're going to meet up tonight," Chloe answered, smiling back at Cala.

"You girls have bright futures ahead of you, so make the most of your opportunities," Jacob said in a kind but firm tone. "I can see both of you going far."

"Thank you," Beca and Chloe said in unison, making everyone in the room chuckle.

"What time is your flight, Chloe?" Cala asked curiously.

"The flight departs at two, so I should get there around twelve thirty," Chloe said. She then looked at the clock on the wall, seeing that it was a little after ten. "I'm so excited. Going to Juilliard has been a dream of mine since I was about Henry and Hailee's age."

"Same with Beca and LA. We took her there for her fifth birthday, and she absolutely loved it," Jacob said with a smile as he recalled the memory.

"She's always wanted to go down there and pursue music, and now she gets to. It's truly an amazing thing when hard work pays off," Cala said, smiling as she teared up a little. "You both are going to do amazing things. I can feel it in my bones."

"Thank you," Beca and Chloe said in unison again, making everyone chuckle even more than they had the first time.

"Shall we go sit in the living room and talk?" Jacob suggested. "Also, Henry and Hailee made some going-away presents for you two. Why don't you go get the presents?" He said to the twins.

Henry and Hailee nodded and then ran up to their bedroom to get the presents while the four adults went to sit in the living room. "Zach is expecting me to be there on Friday night. We've been talking about my travel plans on a regular basis," Beca mentioned.

Jacob nodded his head in approval. "That's good. What else have you guys talked about?" He asked.

"He told me that he has a girlfriend and that she has a key to his apartment so I won't be surprised if she shows up," Beca replied, chuckling a little. "He also said that there are a couple recording studios near his apartment, which is great news for me."

Now it was Cala's turn to nod her head in approval. "That is great news, sweetie. Maybe you could get an internship at one of those studios once you get on your feet," she said.

"That's what I was thinking. Hopefully I'll be able to work two jobs so I can get on my feet quicker," Beca said. "There are a lot of places I can work at that are near Zach's apartment, so that's good."

"We do want you to take some college classes, though," Jacob reminded her. "It would be great if you could get two jobs, but don't overwhelm yourself with work. School is one of your priorities too."

"I know," Beca said, smiling at her father. "I've already signed up for some fall classes at UCLA. I also applied for and received a scholarship from them, so I won't have to pay as much."

"That's excellent, sweetie. Your father and I are so proud of you, and we're both very confident that you're going to flourish in LA," Cala said genuinely.

"Thank you. Hearing you say that means a lot to me," Beca said before she saw that the twins had returned. "Hey, you little rascals. What are you guys holding behind your backs?"

Hailee stepped forward and held out two pictures that she had drawn, one for Beca and the other for Chloe. "This is my present to you," she declared, a big smile on her face.

The pictures were of Beca and Chloe kissing and hugging at the same time. Beca smiled at it before looking up at Hailee. "This is really good, Haiz. I'll make sure to hang it up on my wall when I get to LA," she said before looking back down at the picture. Beca couldn't help but feel her gut wrench as she looked at the picture. With each second that passed, Beca was getting closer to having to say goodbye to Chloe. But she shook it off and then smiled at her sister, giving her a hug. "Thank you for this, Haiz. Now, what do you have, Henry?"

Henry was also holding two pictures that he had drawn. These pictures were of Beca, Chloe, Henry, and Hailee all holding hands. "I made these so you guys could remember us when you go away," he explained, smiling as he handed the pictures to his older sister and her girlfriend. "Do you like them?" He asked.

Beca and Chloe both nodded and smiled at the six year-old boy. "We love them, buddy," Beca said, smiling and kissing his forehead. "Both of these are amazing, and I will definitely be putting them up on my wall," she stated, hugging her younger siblings tightly.

"We're gonna miss you, Beca," Hailee said, sniffling softly as she hugged her older sister back.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Haiz. I'm gonna miss you both so, so much," Beca said, tearing up as she held the twins close. "But you know what? I'm going to call you everyday, and I'll see you at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm always going to answer if you call me, okay?"

"Okay," Hailee replied, nodding her head and sniffling a little more as they pulled away from the hug. "Promise?" She asked in a small voice.

"I pinky-promise," Beca said, holding out her pinkies for Hailee and Henry to take. "I love you two so, so much," she said as a couple tears fell down her cheek. "Come here and give me one more big hug." The brunette didn't need to say that twice, as the twins quickly threw their arms around her. "You guys be good for Mom and Dad, okay?" Beca said as she hugged them back.

"We will," Henry said as he held onto his big sister tightly.

About an hour later, Beca and Chloe walked out to the brunette's car. When Beca turned around, she was brought into a group hug by her parents and the twins. "I'll call you when I get to my hotel tonight."

"You better. If you don't, we may have to start a nationwide manhunt for you," Jacob joked. When the group hug ended, he put a hand on Beca's shoulder. "I really am proud of you, kid. I know that I haven't always shown it, but I am," he said genuinely.

Beca smiled at her father and pulled him into a hug. "I love you, Dad, and I'm going to make you even more proud of me. I promise," she said as she embraced him tightly.

"I know you will. Now, go kick ass down there. You've been waiting for this moment for so long. It's time that you seize it," Jacob replied, smiling back at his daughter.

"I will, Dad," Beca said before giving each of the twins a tight hug. She then turned to her mom. "I love you, Mom," she said, embracing her mother even tighter than she had embraced her father.

"I love you too, sweetie. I know you've heard this so many times already, but I'm so proud of you," Cala said, a few tears falling down her face while she and Beca embraced.

"I'm scared, Mom," Beca admitted, starting to cry into her mother's shirt. "Is it okay to be scared?"

"Of course it's okay to be scared, Beca. However, it's not okay to let your fears control you, but I know you won't do that. You're incredibly strong, sweetie. This is a big change, but I am more than confident that you can handle it," Cala said in a reassuring voice.

Beca nodded her head and wiped away the rest of her tears before hugging her mother one last time. She then took a deep breath and opened the driver's side door, Chloe opening the passenger's side door at the same time. Beca rolled down her window once she had turned her car on. "I love you guys," she said, waving at her family as she backed out of the driveway. Jacob, Cala, Henry, and Hailee all waved back at Beca and Chloe as they drove away. Once Beca's car was out of sight, they went back into their house.

Beca sighed softly as she headed towards the airport. "I don't think I've ever cried that much in my life," she said, chuckling in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, I'm probably gonna be a mess when my parents leave New York." Chloe said with a sad smile.

Beca then took one of Chloe's hands in her own, keeping one hand on the steering wheel as she did so. The brunette then squeezed the redhead's hand to comfort her. "It's gonna be okay, Chlo," she said in a soft voice.

Chloe looked down at their hands, feeling a painful lump in her throat. As they got closer to the airport, that lump grew more and more intense. She wished that time would freeze and that she and Beca could just there forever. Her heart began to ache once she saw they were taking the exit to the airport. She didn't want their relationship to end. It had been the best four months of her life, and the thought of leaving Beca behind was killing Chloe inside.

Beca had felt Chloe's grip on her hand grow tighter throughout the car ride, but she didn't let it bother her. When they arrived at the airport, the brunette looked down and saw that the redhead now had an iron grip on her hand. "Uh, Chlo? Can you maybe loosen the grip a little?" Beca asked, chuckling a little bit after she finished speaking.

Chloe loosened her grip on Beca's hand once the brunette had parked her car in the parking garage. and then they sat in the car for awhile longer. Tears welled up in the redhead's eyes when the car turned off, but she blinked them away before they had a chance to fall.

They sat there in silence for a little while longer until Beca spoke up. "So, uh, we should probably head in there, I guess," she said awkwardly, biting her lip as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Yeah, we should. I need to check in," Chloe said, opening the door after unbuckling her seatbelt. Chloe then got out of the car and grabbed her bag from the trunk of Beca's car before the two of them went into the airport hand-in-hand. Chloe checked into her flight and then walked over to the security line, barely making it there before she burst into tears. The redhead turned to Beca and wrapped her arms around the brunette's body, never wanting to let go.

Beca wrapped her arms around Chloe's waist and started swaying back and forth while they embraced. "It's okay, Chloe. It's okay," the brunette repeated over and over again as she tried to console the redhead.

"Please don't let me go," Chloe sobbed as she held onto Beca. Her heart had never hurt like this before, she wanted to hold onto Beca forever and never let go.

"I don't want to, baby, but I have to," Beca said, letting Chloe cry into her shirt as they embraced. "I love you so much, Chlo. I love you so, so much."

Chloe closed her eyes, trying not to cry too loudly to cause a scene. "I love you more than anything, you know that right? And I'll always love you, no matter what."

Beca nodded her head. "I know that. The same goes from me to you, babe," she replied, pulling away from the embrace so she could wipe Chloe's tears away. "I have a surprise for you when you get on the plane," she added a few moments later.

"What's that?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I kinda stole your phone this morning and uploaded a song that I recorded with Jesse and Benji a couple weeks ago," Beca said, tucking some of Chloe's hair back and smiling the best she could. "I like it a lot. It's probably my favorite song that I've ever written besides 'Photograph,' of course. The song is called 'It's Time,' and I want you to listen to it at some point during your flight," she added.

Chloe smiled softly and then leaned their foreheads together, biting her lip as she tried to keep more tears from falling. "Thank you, Becs. I'll listen to it as soon as I get on the plane. I'll probably end up listening to it on repeat, actually," she said with a giggle.

Beca smiled back at Chloe before pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "Just so we're clear, this isn't a goodbye. This is more like a 'see you later.' We're going to be together again, Chlo. I've never been so sure of anything in my life," she murmured after their lips parted.

"We're going to be together again," Chloe said, repeating Beca's words back to her as she started to cry again. "I just want you to know that no matter what happens in the next four years, my heart will always belong to you."

"And my heart will always belong to you," Beca replied, wiping Chloe's tears away with her thumb before kissing her again. She then saw that Chloe was up next in the security line. "Babe, you're next in line."

Chloe nodded and then kissed Beca once more, making sure that it was the best last kiss that either of them had or would ever have. When they finally pulled away, Chloe gazed into Beca's midnight blue eyes. "I love you so much," she said before taking a shaky breath.

"I love you too," Beca said, kissing Chloe's forehead. "Now go through that gate and don't look back," she whispered. "New York is waiting for you, Chloe." With those words, the brunette pulled back from the embrace and watched as Chloe went through the security lines.

When Chloe got through the line, she turned around to look at Beca one last time. The redhead smiled sadly when she spotted the brunette, who mouthed "I love you" to her. Chloe mouthed those same words back to Beca and waved at her before turning back around. She took a deep breath as she started to walk through the airport, not looking back just like Beca had told her to.

After she got on the plane and found her seat, Chloe sat down and buckled her seatbelt. She smiled as the plane started to roll back from its terminal. When they were about to take off, Chloe scrolled through the list of downloaded songs on her phone and smiled when she saw "It's Time" at the top of the list. She put her earbuds in and then hit play on the song just as the plane was taking off.

"It's Time"- Imagine Dragons

 **Beca:** "So this is what you meant

When you said that you were spent?

And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit right to the top.

Don't hold back.

Packing my bags and giving the academy a rain check.

I don't ever wanna let you down.

I don't ever wanna leave this town.

'Cause after all

This city never sleeps at night.

It's time to begin, isn't it?

I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit

I'm just the same as I was.

Now don't you understand

That I'm never changing who I am?"

While Chloe was listening to to the song on the plane, Beca had it playing in her car as she headed south towards LA. The brunette smiled to herself as she thought of the redhead. She knew that she truly had the girl's heart and that she always would, no matter what.

 **Benji & Jesse: **"So this is where you fell,

And I am left to sail.

The path to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell right to the top.

Don't look back.

Turn in the rags and giving the commodities a rain check.

I don't ever wanna let you down.

I don't ever wanna leave this town.

Cause after all

This city never sleeps at night."

 **Benji, Jesse, & Beca: **"It's time to begin, isn't it?

I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit

I'm just the same as I was.

Now don't you understand

That I'm never changing who I am?

It's time to begin, isn't it?

I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit

I'm just the same as I was.

Now don't you understand

That I'm never changing who I am?"

Chloe tapped her foot along to the rhythm of the song, softly humming the melody to herself as well. She looked out of the window, watching as the plane soared high above the clouds. The smile on the redhead's face grew and she closed her eyes as the song went into its bridge.

 **Beca:** "This road never looked so lonely.

This house doesn't burn down slowly

To ashes, to ashes."

 **Beca, Benji & Jesse: **"It's time to begin, isn't it?

I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit

I'm just the same as I was.

Now don't you understand

That I'm never changing who I am?

It's time to begin, isn't it?

I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit

I'm just the same as I was.

Now don't you understand

That I'm never changing who I am?"

As the song ended, Chloe looked out of the window and smiled as she thought of Beca. Even though the next four years would feel like forever, she was sure of two things, the first one being that she loved Beca more than anything and that Beca felt the same way. The second one was that nothing would ever keep them apart, because when two people love each other like they did, the universe will find a way to make everything work out in the end.

 **So that's the end of the first book! We hope you enjoyed this story, even though it may have frustrated you at times lol. The first chapter of the next book is being worked on right now, so hopefully it will be up soon! Thank you all for the support and the positive reviews. This has been our most popular story yet and we hope that second one gets just as much love. BECHLOE is endgame...**

 **Until Next Time!**


	33. ANNOUNCEMENT

**Hey Guys! The first chapter for the sequel to this story is now up! It's called "Two Hearts, One Love" and we hope that you enjoy the first chapter! It's definitely going to be a story full of twists and turns! We hope that you enjoyed "That's Life" and we hope you will enjoy this next story!**

 **Until Next Time!**


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